Thirteen out of the 20 drivers participating in the Formula 1 grid in 2024 have achieved pole position in an F1 grand prix. Lewis Hamilton holds the record for the most pole positions in F1 history, with almost as many as the combined total of the other 12 drivers on the list. In this article, we provide a breakdown of the number of pole positions each 2024 F1 driver has achieved and their ranking on the all-time list.
Due to a change in the system in 2021, where the winner of the Saturday sprint race was awarded pole position for three of the grands prix that year instead of the driver with the fastest time in the Friday qualifying session, our numbers reflect this anomaly. Under the traditional system, Hamilton would have gained two pole positions, Max Verstappen would have lost two, and Valtteri Bottas would have gained one but also lost one.
Hamilton holds the top spot on the all-time list, surpassing Michael Schumacher’s record at the 2017 Italian Grand Prix. He has since set an additional 35 pole positions, making him the most successful qualifier in F1 by a significant margin. The dominance of Mercedes during the hybrid-engined era of F1 has undoubtedly contributed to Hamilton’s success, with 71 of his poles achieved between 2014 and 2021. He has only managed to secure one pole position since then, which occurred at the 2023 Hungarian GP.
Verstappen’s pole position at the season opener of the 2024 F1 season has propelled him to seventh place on the all-time list, surpassing Nigel Mansell. Although the Red Bull cars have been designed to excel in races rather than qualifiers, Verstappen has managed to secure 20 pole positions during this era. He only needs one more to overtake Alain Prost and Jim Clark, but he would require another 24 to match Sebastian Vettel, the driver with the next highest number of pole positions.
Charles Leclerc holds the record for the most pole positions among F1 drivers without a world championship. His most recent pole position was achieved at the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, showcasing his exceptional skills in qualifying. Leclerc is known for his speed over a single lap, and if the car is well-suited to his preferences and not hindered by understeer, he can deliver outstanding performances in qualifying. His reputation as a “choker” is undeserved and is more a result of Ferrari’s underwhelming cars rather than his own abilities on race day.
Fernando Alonso is not particularly renowned for his qualifying abilities, even during his championship-winning seasons in 2005 and 2006. His most recent pole position was achieved at the 2012 German Grand Prix. Since then, Alonso has competed in 192 grands prix without securing another pole position. However, his performance at the 2023 Monaco GP demonstrated that even at 42 years old, he is still capable of achieving pole positions if his Aston Martin F1 car is fast enough.
Valtteri Bottas has only achieved pole positions during his time with Mercedes from 2017 to 2021. His most recent pole position was set in Mexico in 2021. Since joining the lower-midfield Stake team (formerly known as Alfa Romeo/Sauber), his chances of adding to his pole position tally are slim. Although Hamilton has praised Bottas’s abilities over one lap, he scored nine fewer poles than Nico Rosberg, his former Mercedes teammate, despite having one extra season alongside Hamilton.
Carlos Sainz faces the challenge of being Charles Leclerc’s teammate, which means that when the Ferrari is fast enough to secure pole position, it is usually Leclerc who achieves it. However, Sainz has proven that he is capable of delivering strong performances in qualifying. His most recent poles were achieved at the Singapore and Italy Grands Prix in 2023, where he won tight battles for pole against drivers who were covered by less than a tenth of a second.
Daniel Ricciardo has not secured a pole position in F1 since leaving Red Bull at the end of 2018. His last pole position was achieved in Mexico. Ricciardo’s peak in F1 occurred during Red Bull’s least successful period in the hybrid era, which does not accurately reflect his talent and speed during that time. Ricciardo is known for his smooth driving style and ability to carry entry speed, making him incredibly fast when the car’s balance and rear stability are favorable.
All of Sergio Perez’s pole positions have been achieved in 2022 and 2023, during Red Bull’s dominance in F1. Two of Perez’s pole positions were a result of unique circumstances, such as Verstappen’s failure to set a time in Q3 in Miami and a driveshaft failure for Verstappen in Saudi Arabia. However, Perez’s maiden pole position in Saudi Arabia in 2022 was entirely genuine and showcased his abilities in qualifying. This is considered one of the best qualifying performances of his F1 career so far.
Nico Hulkenberg achieved the only pole position of his F1 career during his rookie season with Williams in 2010. Hulkenberg was highly regarded in the junior categories and quickly surpassed his teammate Rubens Barrichello to become Williams’ fastest driver. His pole position came at Interlagos in mixed conditions and was a result of his skill rather than luck. Hulkenberg set two laps that were faster than the Red Bulls and finished the session over a second ahead of both Vettel and Mark Webber.
Lance Stroll’s only pole position in F1 was achieved during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season at the Turkish Grand Prix. The track had been resurfaced, and the lack of grip in difficult conditions created a challenging qualifying session for all drivers. Stroll managed to secure pole position but ultimately faded to ninth place in the race. Stroll has shown flashes of brilliance in his F1 career, such as qualifying fourth in the wet at Monza during his rookie season with Williams.
Lando Norris, who is expected to achieve more pole positions in the future, secured his first and only pole position to date at the wet Russian Grand Prix in 2021. He came very close to winning the race but missed out due to a tire call error. Norris has shown potential for pole position on other occasions as well, such as the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, where he crashed after setting the fastest times in Q1 and Q2. Norris has made some qualifying errors in his F1 career, but this is partly due to the challenging nature of the McLarens he has driven.
George Russell’s standout qualifying performance came at the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix, where he narrowly beat Sainz to secure pole position. This session saw Lewis Hamilton only manage the seventh-fastest time. Although the Mercedes cars Russell has raced in have not been competitive enough for consistent strong performances, he has demonstrated his capabilities with incredible top-10 qualifying laps while driving for Williams. Russell also came close to securing pole position on his Mercedes debut at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix.
Kevin Magnussen achieved his only pole position during the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2022, driving for an underdog team, Haas. This session took place in mixed weather conditions, and being on track at the right moment was crucial. Magnussen demonstrated his speed by consistently setting top-seven times in Q1 and Q2. Although not the most well-rounded driver, Magnussen has shown that he can deliver exceptional performances when everything aligns for him.
The remaining drivers on the list, Oscar Piastri, Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, Alex Albon, Yuki Tsunoda, Zhou Guanyu, and Logan Sargeant, have not achieved any pole positions in their F1 careers so far.