Hermano da Silva Ramos, until recently the oldest living former F1 driver, has passed away at the age of 100 in France. He was born in Paris on December 7, 1925. On Wednesday it was announced that he died on May 4, 2026. Ramos raced seven Grands Prix for Gordini between 1955 and 1956, thus being part of the Spartan early years of the Formula 1 World Championship.
His best result was achieved at the 1956 Monaco Grand Prix, where he scored two points with a fifth place in his Gordini Type 16. His last appearance in the sport followed later that year during the Italian Grand Prix, where he had to retire after only three laps due to engine problems. Besides his F1 career, Ramos was also active in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Mille Miglia.
Old guard
With his passing, the historical ranking of the oldest living F1 drivers also changes. On April 8, 2023, Ramos himself became the oldest living driver after Kenneth McAlpine died at the age of 102. McAlpine was at the time the oldest living driver who had ever raced in the World Championship. Only one other driver also reached the age of 100: Paul Pietsch, who started in three Grands Prix in the early years of the premier class.
After Ramos’s death, John Rhodes from Great Britain is the oldest living Formula 1 driver. He participated in one race: the 1965 British Grand Prix. At the time of writing, Rhodes is 98 years, 8 months, and 18 days old; he was born on August 18, 1927, in Wolverhampton. The oldest living Grand Prix winner and world champion remains Sir Jackie Stewart, the last surviving champion from the 1960s. He will turn 87 in June.
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