The astonishing statistic of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

The battle between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen at the start of this season marks a turning point in the history of Formula 1. Although we shouldn’t underestimate a possible comeback from Mercedes, this is the first season since 2013 where no car from the star manufacturer is fighting for the championship lead.

Lewis Hamilton finished 10th in Jeddah. This is the first time he has finished in this position since the South Korean Grand Prix in 2012. With this point earned after a difficult weekend, the British driver avoided a significant first in Formula 1. Indeed, with a birth date on January 7, 1985, the Mercedes driver was the only driver in the Top 10 who was not born in the 90s.

For the first time in Formula 1 history, 90% of the drivers who have scored points were born between 1990 and 1999. This statistic once again proves that a new generation is taking over in Formula 1.

Of the 20 drivers who make up the grid in 2022, 5 were born in the 1980s (Hamilton, Ricciardo, Alonso, Vettel, Bottas), 14 were born in the 1990s (Russell, Verstappen, Pérez, Sainz, Leclerc, Norris, Ocon, Gasly, Stroll, Latifi, Albon, Zhou, Schumacher, Magnussen), and one was born in the 2000s (Tsunoda).

Ranked 11th in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, 9 seconds behind Hamilton, Guanyu Zhou could have even allowed the most represented category this season to dominate 100% of the Top 10 positions. If performance or reliability continues to be lacking for the older drivers on the grid, this statistic should soon become a reality.