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How Kimi Antonelli reshaped Formula 1's ultimate statistical benchmark in Monaco
Kimi Antonelli became the youngest driver in Formula 1 history to achieve a Grand Slam in Monaco, lowering a record held by Fangio, Clark, Senna and Verstappen.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-08-07T09:33:00.000Z - 3 min read
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli rewrote Formula 1 history at the Monaco Grand Prix by becoming the youngest driver to secure a Grand Slam. At 19 years, 9 months and three days old, the Italian claimed pole position, set the fastest lap, and led every single lap from lights to flag. His dominant victory in the principality marked the first time a driver under the age of 20 has achieved the feat, eclipsing a record that was previously held by some of the sport's greatest champions.
The benchmark for a Grand Slam—requiring absolute perfection across a race weekend—was established during the championship’s second-ever race in 1950. Juan Manuel Fangio set the initial age record at 38 in Monaco, narrowly avoiding a harbor wave pileup at Tabac after noticing spectators looking away from his car. Alberto Ascari lowered that age threshold to 33 at Rouen-les-Essarts in 1952, dominating a 388-kilometer French Grand Prix without a pit stop during Ferrari’s period of technical supremacy under Formula 2 regulations.
Mike Hawthorn became the first driver in his twenties to capture a Grand Slam when he won the 1958 French Grand Prix at Reims aged 29, outqualifying Ferrari teammate Luigi Musso and controlling the race after Musso’s fatal crash. Four years later, Lotus driver Jim Clark dropped the record to 26 years old at the 1962 British Grand Prix at Aintree. Driving the revolutionary monocoque Lotus 25, Clark beat John Surtees by nearly 50 seconds to kick off a career tally of eight Grand Slams—a milestone that remains unbroken today.
Ayrton Senna moved the target further in 1985 during only his second race for Lotus. Aged 25, the Brazilian took his maiden pole in dry conditions at Estoril before mastering torrential rain to win by 63 seconds over Michele Alboreto. Senna later recalled sliding out of control on multiple occasions during the deluge, dismissing comparisons to his famous 1993 Donington drive by noting that his Lotus possessed no electronic driver aids in Portugal.
Unlike his predecessors, Sebastian Vettel had already secured a world title before setting the youngest Grand Slam record at 24 years old. At the inaugural 2011 Indian Grand Prix, the Red Bull driver swept qualifying and the race despite team principal Christian Horner attempting to manage engine modes and disable KERS to dissuade him from risking the fastest lap. Vettel completed the weekend 8.4 seconds clear of Jenson Button while setting a new record for total laps led in a single championship season.
Max Verstappen lowered the mark again at the 2021 Austrian Grand Prix in his 128th Grand Prix start. Having missed out on the milestone at Abu Dhabi in 2020 due to a late fastest lap attempt by Daniel Ricciardo, the 23-year-old Red Bull driver controlled proceedings at Spielberg from pole. After surviving an early safety car restart, Verstappen pulled away to finish 18 seconds ahead of Valtteri Bottas, securing the fastest lap on his final stint to extend his championship lead over Lewis Hamilton.
Antonelli’s breakthrough in Monte Carlo came after a near-miss in China earlier in the season, where a sharp opening lap from Hamilton denied him a lights-to-flag victory. In Monaco, the teenager edged Verstappen for pole by 0.043 seconds before commanding a chaotic race, opening a 29-second gap over Hamilton and navigating a late red flag and standing restart. By bringing the Grand Slam benchmark under the 20-year barrier, Antonelli joined an elite lineage of drivers who defined their respective eras of Formula 1.