The 18 Greatest Junior Single-Seater Champions Who Reached F1

From title-winning prodigies who became world champions to cult one-season wonders, these graduates all conquered the junior single-seater ladder before reaching the big stage. Who climbed highest?

1

Ayrton Senna

Won the 1983 British Formula 3 title before becoming a three-time F1 world champion with McLaren.

1000pts

2

Michael Schumacher

German F3 champion in 1990 who went on to win a record-tying seven F1 world titles.

814pts

3

Charles Leclerc

Dominant 2017 FIA F2 champion who graduated to Sauber and then Ferrari in F1.

651pts

4

Stoffel Vandoorne

Record-setting 2015 GP2 champion who graduated to McLaren's F1 team.

651pts

5

Nico Hulkenberg

2009 GP2 champion who moved straight into a Williams F1 seat for 2010.

651pts

6

Pierre Gasly

2016 GP2 champion who reached F1 and won the 2020 Italian Grand Prix.

610pts

7

Robert Kubica

2005 World Series by Renault champion who won the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix for BMW Sauber.

610pts

8

Timo Glock

2007 GP2 champion who graduated to Toyota's F1 team for the 2008 season.

563pts

9

Lewis Hamilton

2006 GP2 champion who debuted with McLaren in 2007 and became a seven-time F1 world champion.

563pts

10

Oscar Piastri

Won the F3 title in 2020 and the F2 title in 2021 before racing for McLaren in F1.

563pts

11

Jules Bianchi

2009 F3 Euro Series champion who reached F1 with Marussia and scored the team's only points.

563pts

12

Romain Grosjean

2011 GP2 champion who returned to F1 with Lotus and scored multiple podiums.

508pts

13

George Russell

2018 FIA F2 champion who rose through Williams to a Mercedes F1 race seat.

508pts

14

Fernando Alonso

Junior single-seater title winner who became a two-time F1 world champion with Renault.

444pts

15

Nico Rosberg

Won the inaugural 2005 GP2 championship and later took the 2016 F1 world title with Mercedes.

444pts

16

Valtteri Bottas

2011 GP3 champion who reached F1 with Williams and won races for Mercedes.

444pts

17

Nelson Piquet Jr

2004 British F3 champion and son of a three-time world champion who raced in F1 for Renault.

444pts

18

Lando Norris

2017 FIA European F3 champion who broke through to F1 with McLaren.

444pts