The current Formula 1 grid has very experienced pilots, such as Lewis Hamilton, 40 and Fernando Alonso, who at 44, has become the oldest running in the category in the last 50 years.
Longevity in the main category of motorsport, however, is not a new thing. In the early years of F1 existence in the 1950s, it was common to have figures over 50 years old on the starting grid. Check it out:
Who is the oldest driver running in Formula 1?
The oldest pilot to start in a F1 race was Monegasco Louis Chiron, at the age of 55, at the Monaco GP in 1955. Subsequently, in 1958, at 58, also in Monaco, he also became the oldest to enter a race-at that time, exchange between pilots were common.
Two curiosities about Louis Chiron: The Bugatti Chiron car bears his name and, until 2024, when Charles Leclerc equalized, he had been the only Monegasco pilot to beat the Monaco Grand Prix.
Older pilots to participate in a race
- Louis Chiron (Mon) – 58 years, 277 days – Monaco 1958
- Luigi plate (ITA) – 56 years, 0 days – Italy 1950
- Philippe STANCELIN (FRA) – 55 years, 191 days – France 1952
- Arthur legat (Bel) – 54 years, 232 days – Belgium 1953
- Kurt Kitchen (ALE) – 53 years, 96 days – Germany 1963
- Luigi Fagioli (ITA) – 53 years, 22 days – France 1951
- Piero Dusio (ITA) – 52 years, 330 days – Italy 1952
- Adolf Brides (ALE) – 52 years, 293 days – Germany 1952
- Hans Stuck (ALE) – 52 years, 260 days – Italy 1953
- Jack Ensley (USA) – 52 years, 225 days – Indianapolis 1959
Older riders starting a race
| Pilot | Country | Age | Where? | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louis Chiron | MON | 55 years, 292 days | Mônaco GP 1955 | 6º |
| Philippe STANCELIN | FROM | 55 years, 191 days | FRANCE GP 1952 | 8º |
| Arthur legat | BEL | 54 years, 232 days | Gp by boil 1953 | Abandonment |
| Luigi Fagioli | ITA | 53 years, 22 days | FRANCE GP 1951 | 1º |
| Adolf Brides | BUT | 52 years, 293 days | GP from Germany 1952 | Abandonment |
| Hans Stuck | BUT | 52 years, 260 days | GP of Italy 1953 | 14º |
| Bill Aston | GBR | 52 years, 127 days | GP from Germany 1952 | Abandonment |
| Clemente blondetti | ITA | 52 years, 16 days | GP from Italy 1950 | Abandonment |
| Louis Rosier | FROM | 50 years, 274 days | GP from Germany 1956 | 5º |
| Rudolf Schoeller | SUI | 50 years, 98 days | GP from Germany 1952 | Abandonment |
Age on the tracks: Cinema reasons discussion
The age of Formula 1 pilots returned to the debate with the movie “F1” (2025), which premiered in theaters around the world in June this year.
The production was starring Brad Pitt, who at the age of 61, played protagonist Sonny Hayes, a retired former pilot after a serious accident in the 1990s. In the plot, Hayes returns to active to be mentor Joshua “Noah” Pearce (Damson Idris), a young motorsport promise.
The age of Brad Pitt’s character, however, is never mentioned in the movie. Considering that Hayes had a serious accident at the Barcelona GP in 1993, when he was a rising star, it is reasonable to imagine that he was under 20 years old. Thus, the character would be in his 50s today, a very advanced age for current standards, but not when considering the history of the category, as we show.
