How old is Fernando Alonso? Where Aston Martin veteran ranks among oldest F1 drivers
The announcement of Fernando Alonso’s move from Alpine to Aston Martin for the start of the 2023 Formula One season ensured the senior grid statesman would drive for at least another year.
As he approaches his 21st year of involvement in F1, the hugely popular Alonso is by far the oldest driver to compete.
The man who once broke the record for the youngest driver to take a pole position and win a race made history again at the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix by making his 350th start, the most ever by a driver.
How old is the Spaniard, how old are some of his rivals and where does he rank alongside the oldest racers of all time? Here are the details.
MORE: F1 season 2023 predictions, odds, betting tips & best bets
How old is Fernando Alonso?
Alonso was born in Oviedo on July 29, 1981, which means he will be 41 when the 2023 F1 season kicks off in Bahrain in March.
In an episode of the Netflix F1 series Drive to Survive, Alonso was shown throwing a 41st birthday party by his former team in the 2022 season.
ESPN described Alonso’s look at a party, which was “a little embarrassing,” as “embarrassed.” According to the outlet, Alonso had already been contacted by Aston Martin at the time and had been met with him on a contract until 2023.
Oldest F1 driver in history: where does Fernando Alonso rank?
If Alonso is even feeling his age, he can take inspiration from the 10 oldest drivers ever to have competed in a race, with the youngest on this list being more than a decade older than him.
Oldest drivers to take part in an F1 race
| driver | Old | final place | race |
| Louis Chiron | 58 years, 277 days | DNQ | 1958 Monaco Grand Prix |
| Luigi plate | 56 years, 0 days | DNS | 1950 Italian Grand Prix |
| Philippe Etancelin | 55 years, 191 days | 8th | 1952 French Grand Prix |
| Arthur Legat | 54 years, 232 days | Retired | 1953 Belgian Grand Prix |
| Kurt Kuhnke | 53 years, 96 days | DNQ | 1963 German Grand Prix |
| Luigi Fagioli | 53 years, 22 days | 1 | 1951 French Grand Prix |
| Piero Dusi | 52 years, 330 days | DNQ | 1952 Italian Grand Prix |
| Adolf Brothers | 52 years, 293 days | Retired | 1952 German Grand Prix |
| Hans Steck | 52 years, 260 days | 14 | 1953 Italian Grand Prix |
| Jack Ensley | 52 years, 225 days | DNQ | 1959 Indianapolis 500 |
Age of F1 drivers: Oldest current Formula 1 racing driver
Alonso is the only current driver in his 40s, with seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and former Aston Martin reserve driver Nico Hulkenberg being the only competitors over 35.
Here are the top 11 by age for the 2023 F1 season.
| driver | team | Old |
| Fernando Alonso | Aston-Martin | 41 |
| Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 38 |
| Nico Hulkenberg | haas | 35 |
| Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo | 33 |
| Sergio Perez | red bull | 33 |
| Kevin Magussen | haas | 30 |
| Carlo Sainz | Ferrari | 28 |
| Nyck de Vries | AlphaTauri | 28 |
| Pierre Gasli | alpine | 27 |
| Alex Albon | Williams | 26 |
| Esteban Ocon | alpine | 26 |
MORE: How does the F1 rating system work? Points for Formula 1 races, sprints, fastest lap
Oldest F1 drivers starting a race
Evergreen Alonso needs to start a race after his 50th birthday to become one of the 10 oldest riders to ever appear on the grid we’ve listed here.
Oldest F1 drivers starting a race
| driver | Old | final place | race |
| Louis Chiron | 55 years, 292 days | 6. | 1955 Monaco Grand Prix |
| Philippe Etancelin | 55 years, 191 days | 8th | 1952 French Grand Prix |
| Arthur Legat | 54 years, 232 days | Retired | 1953 Belgian Grand Prix |
| Luigi Fagioli | 53 years, 22 days | 1 | 1951 French Grand Prix |
| Adolf Brothers | 52 years, 293 days | Retired | 1952 German Grand Prix |
| Hans Steck | 52 years, 260 days | 14 | 1953 Italian Grand Prix |
| Bill Aston | 52 years, 127 days | Retired | 1952 German Grand Prix |
| Clemens Biondetti | 52 years, 16 days | Retired | 1950 Italian Grand Prix |
| Louis Rosier | 50 years, 274 days | 5 | 1956 German Grand Prix |
| Rudolph Schoeller | 50 years, 98 days | Retired | 1952 German Grand Prix |