Can Antonelli break Verstappen's record and go down in history?

17:00, 03 Apr

Updated: 17:17, 03 Apr

bySavannah Lenz

Hailed as a favourite among the Formula 1 drivers due to the shape of the track, the Japanese Grand Prix is held at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, Japan. The race features 53 laps taking in high-speed corners and 18 turns. Two big records are up for grabs, as this is the last race Kimi Antonelli can use to set himself in history regarding one particular record.

Youngest Grand Prix winner

This weekend is Antonelli’s last chance to become the youngest Grand Prix winner. On 6 April, 2025, he will be 18 years, 7 months and 13 days old. If he wins, he will beat Max Verstappen's record by three days. Verstappen became the youngest Grand Prix winner at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix when he won at 18 years, 7 months and 16 days old. If Antonelli fails to win, the record will remain in place until another 18-year-old joins the field.

Antonelli on Thursday at the Japanese Grand Prix

Most consecutive wins

If Verstappen wins the Japanese Grand Prix, he will be the first driver to win four consecutive times. Many drivers, such as Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton, have been close but have missed out or had a gap between their wins. Verstappen and Schumacher are currently tied with three consecutive wins each.

Fastest Lap Record

As with every race, the fastest lap record is always up for any driver to grab. The current fastest lap record was set in 2019 by Hamilton. His lap time was 1:30.983. At the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix, the fastest lap was set by McLaren driver Lando Norris. His lap time was 1:35.454.

So far this season, the fastest lap record has already been beaten. At the Chinese Grand Prix, Hamilton broke Sebastian Vettel's standing record. It was only one day later that race winner, Oscar Piastri, beat the record set by Hamilton.