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The new factor boosting Sergio Perez

Assuming Formula 1's 'normal' calendar returns, soon there will be several drivers with hundreds of starts at a very young age. One of those drivers has already achieved much success, but now has a new ingredient to enhance his next chapter

Alex Kalinauckas Apr 26, 2020, 3:09 PM

A relatively new phenomenon is taking hold in Formula 1. In the last 15 or so years, even more drivers have made their grand prix racing debuts at the very start of their third decade - and in several cases before the end of their second.

Young drivers graduating to F1 is nothing new, but in recent years it has become more intense - the rules were even changed after Max Verstappen's debut at 17...

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.