Records are made to be broken but what F1 history could be made in 2025 as a new season is about to begin at the Australian Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton has been chasing records in recent years and an influx of rookies, including Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, means other records could be broken at the younger end of the age scale…
Most F1 world titles
Lewis Hamilton was on the brink of a record-breaking eighth world title until he controversially lost the 2021 championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on the last lap to Max Verstappen. Since then, Hamilton has not been in a title battle after Mercedes largely struggled compared to Red Bull.
Now at Ferrari, Hamilton will be hoping this is his best chance to win that elusive eighth championship that would surpass Michael Schumacher’s seven titles.
Verstappen, meanwhile, is staring at equalling Schumacher’s record of five consecutive titles.
With Lewis Hamilton set to race for Ferrari for the first time this weekend in Australia, check out how other drivers have fared on their debuts with a new team in Formula 1
Youngest F1 race winner
Kimi Antonelli will become the third youngest driver to start a Grand Prix at 18 years and 203 days when the lights go out in Melbourne – only Max Verstappen (17 years and 165 days) and Lance Stroll (18 years and 147 days) were younger.
Antonelli has the opportunity to break Verstappen’s record of becoming the youngest F1 race winner ever, if he wins one of the opening three Grand Prix.
The Italian teenager has until April 8 to beat Verstappen’s feat of winning at 18 years and 228 days, which was done at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix in his first Red Bull outing, therefore would need to stand on the top step of the podium at either the Australian GP (March 16), Chinese GP (March 23) or Japanese GP (April 6).
Watch as Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli has his say on a range of hilarious scenarios by rating them with different racing flags
Youngest F1 pole-sitter
A much more achievable record for Antonelli is to become the youngest pole-sitter in F1 history because he actually has nearly three seasons to beat Sebastian Vettel’s record of topping qualifying at 21 years and 72 days.
That means Antonelli has until early November in 2027 to surpass Vettel and this year alone will provide 24 opportunities.
Haas’ Oliver Bearman and Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto also have the whole of this season to break the youngest pole-sitter record, while Racing Bull’s Isack Hadjar would need to do it before the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in November.
Bernie Collins, Karun Chandhok and Ted Kravitz give their thoughts as to how each of the rookies will perform in their maiden F1 seasons
Youngest Brazilian to score points
Speaking of F2 champion Bortoleto, if he can score points before the summer break in August, he would beat Felipe Massa’s record of being the youngest Brazilian to score points.
Massa’s current benchmark came at the 2002 Malaysian Grand Prix when he was 20 years and 10 months old.
Most race starts before first podium
Nico Hulkenberg already holds the unwanted record of the most races without a podium in F1, so maybe 2025 is finally the year he finishes in the top three.
The German has made 227 race starts and took the record for the most starts without a win at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, as he overtook Andrea de Cesaris.
Hulkenberg may find it difficult to finish a race in the top three for Sauber but if he does, Carlos Sainz’s record of most race starts without a podium (101) would be smashed.
The F1 team give their predictions for the forthcoming season, including who will be world champion and their top rookie
Longest time between race wins
Another long shot but if Fernando Alonso were to win a Grand Prix, he would make history for the longest time between race wins.
Alonso’s last F1 victory came at the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix for Ferrari and he’s gone over 200 races without standing on the top step of the podium.
Kimi Raikkonen holds the record of 114 races between wins, spanning from the 2013 Australian Grand Prix and the 2018 United States Grand Prix.
With the new Formula 1 season getting under way, check out what to look forward to in 2025
Hamilton targets fastest laps history
Hamilton could move into his own league on two obscure fastest lap records. The Ferrari driver is tied on seven with Michael Schumacher and Nigel Mansell for the most fastest laps at the same Grand Prix.
Schumacher achieved his feat at the Spanish Grand Prix and Mansell at the British Grand Prix. Hamilton needs to set the fastest lap at the Italian Grand Prix to move onto eight in Monza.
The 40-year-old is also tied with Schumacher for the most fastest laps in consecutive seasons (15). A fastest lap at any race this year would put Hamilton on 16, having set a fastest lap every year since 2010.
The most fastest laps of all-time is held by Schumacher on 77, which Hamilton is 10 behind on 67. There are 24 Grand Prix in 2025 but overhauling that this year is a huge ask.
Sky Sports F1’s live Australian GP schedule
Thursday March 13
- 2.30am: Drivers’ Press Conference
- 5am: The F1 Show: Lights Out 2025*
- 9.45pm: F3 Practice
- 10.55pm: F2 Practice
Friday March 14
- 1am: Australian GP Practice One (session begins at 1.30am)*
- 2.55am: F3 Qualifying*
- 3.40am: Team Principals’ Press Conference
- 4.45am: Australian GP Practice Two (session begins at 5am)*
- 6.25am: F2 Qualifying*
- 7.15am: The F1 Show*
Saturday March 15
- 00.10am: F3 Sprint*
- 1.10am: Australian GP Practice Three (session begins at 1.30am)*
- 3.10am: F2 Sprint*
- 4.15am: Australian GP Qualifying build-up*
- 5am: AUSTRALIAN GP QUALIFYING*
- 7am: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook*
- 9.55pm: F3 Feature Race*
Sunday March 16
- 0.25am: F2 Feature Race*
- 2.30am: Australian GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday*
- 4am: THE AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX*
- 6am: Australian GP reaction: Chequered Flag*
- 7am: Ted’s Notebook*
- 7.55am: Australian GP race replay
- 10am: Australian GP highlights
- Villeneuve Pironi – Racing’s Untold Tragedy
*Also on Sky Sports Main Event
Watch all 24 race weekends from the 2025 Formula 1 season live on Sky Sports F1, starting with the Australian GP this weekend. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime
