Lewis Hamilton knocked Alonso of the top spot for youngest driver ever to win a WDC. At just 23 years and 300 days, he managed it.
He holds several other records, joint with Jacques Villeneuve on most of them. He holds the record to most wins in a rookie season with four, and is joint second with JV for the highest ever finishing position for a rookie. They were beaten only by Farina in 1950, who won the title in their debut season.
Finally, we come to our 2007 champion, Kimi Raikkonen. Twice, Raikkonen has matched Michael Schumacher's 10 fastest laps in a season, both in 2005 and more recently in 2008.
In 2005, Raikkonen also matched an unhappy record; Most wins in a season without a championship, seven to be precise. This he shares with Prost and Schumacher.
Impressively, he also comes third on the list of fastest laps of all time, with 35, behind Schmacher and Prost. He is also fourth for starting 17th on the grid and taking a race win, an incredibly memorable race at Suzuka in 2005, were he overtook the Renault of Giancarlo Fisichella on the last lap.
Lastly, he comes in second to Alberto Ascari, setting six consecutive fastest laps to Ascari’s seven.
Amazing, five of the top ten youngest drivers to win a race are still very much in action and all have contracts for next year. Vettel, of course, heads the board, with Alonso a close second at 22 years and 26 days.
Fifth is Hamilton at 22 years and 154 days; Kimi Raikkonen is behind him by a year and three days; and seventh is Kubica, who scored his maiden win at 23 years and 184 days.
Formula 1 continues to astound many, and no doubt will for some time to come. The drivers seem to grow younger each year (hint the joke), the talent ever fresher.
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