{"id":576360,"date":"2026-03-31T13:39:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T13:39:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/576360\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T13:39:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T13:39:13","slug":"these-are-the-youngest-f1-drivers-to-lead-the-world-championship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/576360\/","title":{"rendered":"These are the youngest F1 drivers to lead the world championship"},"content":{"rendered":"

With his victory at the 2026 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix and his team-mate\u2019s fourth-place finish, Mercedes<\/a>\u2019 Kimi Antonelli<\/a> became the new championship leader. In the process, he earned the record as the youngest driver ever to top the F1 championship.<\/p>\n

Antonelli\u2019s achievement is even more remarkable when you remember he is the first driver to lead the championship at under 20 years old \u2013 and in fact the first to do so before turning 22.<\/p>\n

Read Also:<\/p>\n

Usually, drivers reach the top of the standings years later than the young Italian. Among the youngest, five drivers first led the championship at age 23, three at 24, five at 25, and seven at 26.<\/p>\n

Before Antonelli, the record was held by Lewis Hamilton<\/a>, who became championship leader at the 2007 Spanish Grand\u00a0Prix in just his fourth race and debut season in the category \u2013 before even winning a grand prix.<\/p>\n

Hamilton broke a record that had stood for nearly 50 years, since McLaren<\/a> founder Bruce McLaren led the 1960 F1 world championship after winning the opening race of the season in Argentina. McLaren would go on to take three more victories, but only managed to finish runner-up in the drivers\u2019 championship.<\/p>\n

With Antonelli\u2019s achievement, an interesting case drops off the podium of youngest leaders: Sebastian Vettel<\/a>, who first led a championship on the day he won his first title, at the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix \u2013 the start of his run of four consecutive championships.<\/p>\n

The youngest drivers in F1 history to lead the championship<\/p>\n

\u00a0
\nDriver
\nAge at the time of achieving the podium
\nRace<\/p>\n

1
\nKimi Antonelli<\/a>
\n19 years, 7 months, and 4 days
\n2026 Japanese Grand Prix<\/p>\n

2
\nLewis Hamilton<\/a>
\n22 years, 4 months, and 6 days
\n2007 Spanish Grand Prix<\/p>\n

3
\nBruce McLaren<\/a>
\n22 years, 5 months, and 8 days
\n1960 Argentine Grand Prix<\/p>\n

4
\nSebastian Vettel<\/a>
\n23 years, 4 months, and 11 days
\n2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix<\/p>\n

5
\nKimi Raikkonen<\/a>
\n23 years, 5 months, and 6 days
\n2003 Malaysian Grand Prix<\/p>\n

6
\nRobert Kubica<\/a>
\n23 years, 6 months, and 1 day
\n2008 Canadian Grand Prix<\/p>\n

7
\nFernando Alonso<\/a>
\n23 years, 7 months, and 20 days
\n2005 Malaysian Grand Prix<\/p>\n

8
\nMax Verstappen<\/a>
\n23 years, 7 months, and 23 days
\n2021 Monaco Grand Prix<\/p>\n

9
\nOscar Piastri<\/a>
\n24 years and 14 days
\n2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix<\/p>\n

10
\nCharles Leclerc<\/a>
\n24 years, 5 months, and 4 days
\n2022 Bahrain Grand Prix<\/p>\n

11
\nPeter Collins<\/a>
\n24 years, 7 months, and 25 days
\n1956 French Grand Prix<\/p>\n

12
\nMichael Schumacher<\/a>
\n25 years, 2 months, and 24 days
\n1994 Brazilian Grand Prix<\/p>\n

13
\nLando Norris<\/a>
\n25 years, 4 months, and 3 days
\n2025 Australian Grand Prix<\/p>\n

14
\nNiki Lauda<\/a>
\n25 years, 4 months, and 15 days
\n1974 French Grand Prix<\/p>\n

15
\nEmerson Fittipaldi<\/a>
\n25 years, 5 months, and 2 days
\n1972 Monaco Grand Prix<\/p>\n

16
\nDavid Coulthard<\/a>
\n25 years, 11 months, and 10 days
\n1997 Australian Grand Prix<\/p>\n

17
\nJacques Villeneuve<\/a>
\n26 years and 4 days
\n1997 Argentine Grand Prix<\/p>\n

18
\nAyrton Senna<\/a>
\n26 years and 23 days
\n1986 Spanish Grand Prix<\/p>\n

19
\nStirling Moss<\/a>
\n26 years, 8 months, and 17 days
\n1956 Belgian Grand Prix<\/p>\n

20
\nAlain Prost<\/a>
\n26 years, 10 months, and 30 days
\n1982 South African Grand Prix<\/p>\n

Interestingly, Fernando Alonso<\/a> and Max Verstappen<\/a> first led the championship at almost exactly the same age, with just three days\u2019 difference in favour of the Spaniard, who took the lead of the 2025 championship in the second race of that season \u2013 the year he would go on to win his first title.<\/p>\n

As for Verstappen, although he won his first race in 2016, he didn\u2019t lead the championship until mid-2021, when he would later secure his first title.<\/p>\n

Other great champions like Michael Schumacher<\/a> did not lead the championship until age 25, while rivals Ayrton Senna<\/a> and Alain Prost<\/a> first led it at 26 \u2013 the Brazilian two years before his first title, and the Frenchman three years before his.<\/p>\n

Among other champions not listed, Jim Clark<\/a> and Nelson Piquet<\/a> first led at 27; Jochen Rindt<\/a>, James Hunt<\/a>, and Jenson Button<\/a> at 28; and Mike Hawthorn<\/a> and Mika Hakkinen<\/a> at 29. The rest of the champions first led the standings after turning 30.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re wondering, only 66 drivers in Formula 1 history have ever led the drivers\u2019 championship. And for the record, the oldest first-time championship leaders were five-time champion Juan Manuel Fangio<\/a>, at 38 years and 10 months, and the sport\u2019s first-ever champion, Giuseppe Farina<\/a>, who first led \u2013 and won his title \u2013 at 43 years old.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Photos from Japanese GP – Sunday<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Andrea<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Andrea<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Pierre<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Car<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Brie<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Lewis<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Esteban<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Franco<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Ferrari<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Oscar<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Fernando<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Sergio<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Gabriel<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Charlie<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Nico<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Lewis<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Benny<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Charles<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Carlos<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Gabriel<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Fernando<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Andrea<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Esteban<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Zak<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Toto<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Frederic<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Oscar<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Charles<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Oscar<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Max<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"George<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
\n
\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Max<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Lando<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Max<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Max<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Arvid<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Gabriel<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Andrea<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Isack<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Oliver<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Pierre<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Charles<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Isack<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Isack<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Oscar<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Andrea<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Andrea<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Andrea<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Andrea<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Toto<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Andrea<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Andrea<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Charles<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Andrea<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Oscar<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
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\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Andrea<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
\n
\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Andrea<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
\n
\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n

\"Andrea<\/p>\n


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\n Japanese GP – Sunday, in photos
\n
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Read Also:<\/p>\n

We want your opinion!<\/p>\n

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?<\/p>\n

Take our 5 minute survey.<\/a><\/p>\n

– The Motorsport.com Team<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With his victory at the 2026 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix and his team-mate\u2019s fourth-place finish, Mercedes\u2019 Kimi…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":576361,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[573],"tags":[12295,64,63,282777,13275,817,277594,845,813,816,107978,846,823,825,2333,857,85,282776],"class_list":{"0":"post-576360","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-formula-1","8":"tag-andrea-kimi-antonelli","9":"tag-au","10":"tag-australia","11":"tag-bruce-mclaren","12":"tag-charles-leclerc","13":"tag-f1","14":"tag-f1-japanese-grand-prix","15":"tag-fernando-alonso","16":"tag-formula-1","17":"tag-formula1","18":"tag-japanese-gp","19":"tag-kimi-raikkonen","20":"tag-lewis-hamilton","21":"tag-max-verstappen","22":"tag-oscar-piastri","23":"tag-robert-kubica","24":"tag-sports","25":"tag-these-are-the-youngest-f1-drivers-to-lead-the-world-championship"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/576360","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=576360"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/576360\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/576361"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=576360"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=576360"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=576360"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}