The longest gaps between first and last F1 wins after Lewis Hamilton victory in 20th season

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Lewis Hamilton has long proven himself to be in a class of his own when it comes to Formula 1 competition, and the fact that he’s secured race wins in two different decades of his career only adds to his legacy.

His win at the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix put Hamilton in a class of his own when it comes to the sheer length of time he’s been competitive, but he’s only one of 10 different drivers who snagged wins over the course of a decade.

These are all of the Grand Prix drivers with at least 10 years separating their first win from their last. Or, in Hamilton’s case, his first win from his most recent.

10. Riccardo Patrese

• First F1 race: 1977 Monaco Grand Prix
• Last F1 race: 1993 Australian Grand Prix
• First F1 win: 1982 Monaco Grand Prix
• Last F1 win: 1992 Japanese Grand Prix
• Length between wins: 10 years, 5 months, 2 days

Riccardo Patrese’s Formula 1 career spanned 17 seasons during an era where that was frankly unthinkable; he became the first driver to start 200 and then 250 Grands Prix, and he also holds the record for the longest gap between two victories: over six years between the 1983 South African Grand Prix and the 1990 San Marino Grand Prix.

Patrese’s first win came in 1982 at the Monaco Grand Prix, when he was 28 years old. His last would come one year before his retirement, at the 1992 Japanese Grand Prix. Patrese was 38 at the time.

9. Gerhard Berger

• First F1 race: 1984 Austrian Grand Prix
• Last F1 race: 1997 European Grand Prix
• First F1 win: 1986 Mexican Grand Prix
• Last F1 win: 1997 German Grand Prix
• Length between wins: 10 years, 9 months, 15 days

Gerhard Berger competed in Formula 1 for 14 years, and while he never won a World Championship, he’s often regarded as one of the better drivers to have lacked that title thanks to his consistency at outfits like Ferrari and McLaren.

When Berger was 27, he snagged his very first Formula 1 victory at the 1986 Mexican Grand Prix. While he’d only snag 10 victories, that final one came 10 years after his first win; Berger was 36 at the time he won the 1997 German Grand Prix.

8. Jack Brabham

• First F1 race: 1955 British Grand Prix
• Last F1 race: 1970 Mexican Grand Prix
• First F1 win: 1959 Monaco Grand Prix
• Last F1 win: 1970 British Grand Prix
• Length between wins: 10 years, 9 months, 25 days

The fact that Jack Brabham’s Formula 1 career spanned 15 years and that he racked up a 10-year gap between his first and final victories is, frankly, impressive. The Australian driver was already 29 years old when he made his first F1 start, 31 at the time of his first victory, and 44 when he finally hung up the helmet.

His age alone made his success a sight to behold; however, Brabham also raced during F1’s most dangerous era, where it was unfortunately common to see drivers die behind the wheel. Brabham’s longevity is a testament to his skill and care behind the wheel.

• READ NEXT: Where Lewis Hamilton ranks in F1’s oldest race winners after Barcelona Grand Prix victory

7. Sebastian Vettel

• First F1 race: 2007 United States Grand Prix
• Last F1 race: 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
• First F1 win: 2008 Italian Grand Prix
• Last F1 win: 2019 Singapore Grand Prix
• Length between wins: 11 years, 8 days

When Sebastian Vettel was just 21 years old and in his first full season of F1 competition, he snagged victory with the Toro Rosso team and kicked off the start of a stunning career that would culminate with four championships and 53 wins.

Vettel’s career ended with a brief and uncompetitive stint at Aston Martin; his final win came back in 2019, while he was still with Scuderia Ferrari. With just over 11 years separating him from that first win, he was 32 years old.

6. Nelson Piquet Sr

• First F1 race: 1978 German Grand Prix
• Last F1 race: 1991 Australian Grand Prix
• First F1 win: 1980 United States Grand Prix West
• Last F1 win: 1991 Canadian Grand Prix
• Length between wins: 11 years, 2 months, 3 days

Three-time champion Nelson Piquet Sr made his way to Formula 1 following the advice of fellow Brazilian icon Emerson Fittipaldi and almost immediately made good on his early promise by winning at Long Beach in 1980. He was 27 years old at the time, and his win marked just his fourth finish in the points!

That win kicked off a cascade of victories that lasted over 11 years and would culminate in 1991. Piquet’s last win came in his final season of competition, when he was 38 years old.

5. Niki Lauda

• First F1 race: 1971 Austrian Grand Prix
• Last F1 race: 1985 Australian Grand Prix
• First F1 win: 1974 Spanish Grand Prix
• Last F1 win: 1985 Dutch Grand Prix
• Length between wins: 11 years, 3 months, 28 days

Three-time Formula 1 champion Niki Lauda made a major impact as one of the most prominent racers to buy his way into the sport and go on to succeed. When he was 25, he secured his first win at the 1974 Spanish Grand Prix, the first of what would go on to be 25 total wins. His final victory came in his last year of F1, 1985, when he was 36.

Over the course of those 11 years, Lauda did it all. He won races and championships. He cheated death. He retired, returned, and won some more. Then, he went on to serve roles at both Ferrari and Mercedes throughout the remainder of his life.

4. Alain Prost

• First F1 race: 1980 Argentine Grand Prix
• Last F1 race: 1993 Australian Grand Prix
• First F1 win: 1981 French Grand Prix
• Last F1 win: 1993 German Grand Prix
• Length between wins: 12 years, 20 days

When Alain Prost took his first Formula 1 win at the 1981 French Grand Prix, which made him the first French driver in F1 history to take victory on his home soil. At the time, he was 26 years old and in just his second season of the sport, yet that win was a sign of things to come.

Over the next 12 years, Prost would remain competitive. He took four drivers’ titles and 51 total wins, and he remained competitive all the way through to his final F1 race, the 1993 Australian Grand Prix. The Professor, then 34 years of age, retired at the height of his career.

3. Michael Schumacher

• First F1 race: 1991 Belgian Grand Prix
• Last F1 race: 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix
• First F1 win: 1992 Belgian Grand Prix
• Last F1 win: 2006 Chinese Grand Prix
• Length between wins: 14 years, 1 month, 1 day

The legendary Michael Schumacher made waves in the Formula 1 world right from his mid-season debut in 1991, when he joined the Jordan team and matched their season-best starting position. From that moment on, it was clear this German driver was something special.

Schumacher’s first win came at the 1992 Belgian Grand Prix when he was 23 years old; that success kicked off a burst of success that saw him take seven World Drivers’ Championships and 91 victories over the course of his career. Schumacher’s final win came at the 2006 Chinese Grand Prix, when he was 37 years old. He retired at the conclusion of the season, only to return in 2010, albeit without much success.

Are we seeing proof that Lewis Hamilton is transforming Ferrari like Michael Schumacher did?

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2. Kimi Raikkonen

• First F1 race: 2001 Australian Grand Prix
• Last F1 race: 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
• First F1 win: 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix
• Last F1 win: 2018 United States Grand Prix
• Length between wins: 15 years, 6 months, 28 days

Finnish racer Kimi Raikkonen is as well known for his take-no-nonsense attitude as for his driving skill, and the fact that he remained a competitive Formula 1 driver over the span of 15 years has netted the 2007 World Champion a special place in the hearts of Grand Prix fans around the world.

That first win in 2003 came with McLaren when Raikkonen was 23 years old. In the interim, he won a title, retired from the sport, took up rallying, made a triumphant return, and remained a force to be reckoned with until his final victory at the 2018 US Grand Prix, just days after his 39th birthday.

1. Lewis Hamilton

• First F1 race: 2007 Australian Grand Prix
• Last F1 race: N/A – he’s still competing!
• First F1 win: 2007 Canadian Grand Prix
• Most recent F1 win: 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix
• Length between wins: 19 years, 4 days

No one in the history of Formula 1 has been anywhere near as competitive over as long a period of time as Sir Lewis Hamilton. The driver who started his career at just 22 years of age back in 2007 is now 41, and his most recent win at the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix means it’s been just over 19 years since his first win back at the 2007 Canadian GP.

Considering his pace in Spain, Hamilton looks as competitive as ever; it’s likely we’ll see him continue to extend this gap.