A pole or a pole position in F1 refers to the driver starting from the top most position of the starting grid during an F1 race/ Grand Prix.
The drivers who tops the time sheets during the Q3 of a Formula 1 Qualifying session takes the pole position for that particular Grand Prix.
99 Different drivers have taken pole in a Formula 1 race to date, the latest being Charles Leclerc of Ferrari taking his maiden pole at the 2019 Bahrain Grand Prix.
| Rank | F1 Driver | Country | Number of Poles | First Pole |
| 1 | Lewis Hamilton | United Kingdom | 86 | 2007 Canadian Grand Prix |
| 2 | Michael Schumacher | Germany | 68 | 1994 Monaco Grand Prix |
| 3 | Ayrton Senna | Brazil | 65 | 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix |
| 4 | Sebastian Vettel | Germany | 56 | 2008 Italian Grand Prix |
| 5 | Jim Clark | United Kingdom | 33 | 1962 Monaco Grand Prix |
| 5 | Alain Prost | France | 33 | 1981 German Grand Prix |
| 7 | Nigel Mansell | United Kingdom | 32 | 1984 Dallas Grand Prix |
| 8 | Nico Rosberg | Germany | 30 | 2012 Chinese Grand Prix |
| 9 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Argentina | 29 | 1950 Monaco Grand Prix |
| 10 | Mika Häkkinen | Finland | 26 | 1997 Luxembourg Grand Prix |
| 11 | Niki Lauda | Austria | 24 | 1974 South African Grand Prix |
| 11 | Nelson Piquet | Brazil | 24 | 1980 United States Grand Prix West |
| 13 | Fernando Alonso | Spain | 22 | 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix |
| 14 | Damon Hill | United Kingdom | 20 | 1993 French Grand Prix |
| 15 | Mario Andretti | United States | 18 | 1968 United States Grand Prix |
| 15 | René Arnoux | France | 18 | 1979 Austrian Grand Prix |
| 15 | Kimi Räikkönen | Finland | 18 | 2003 European Grand Prix |
| 18 | Jackie Stewart | United Kingdom | 17 | 1969 Monaco Grand Prix |
| 19 | Stirling Moss | United Kingdom | 16 | 1955 British Grand Prix |
| 19 | Felipe Massa | Brazil | 16 | 2006 Turkish Grand Prix |
| 21 | Alberto Ascari | Italy | 14 | 1951 German Grand Prix |
| 21 | Ronnie Peterson | Sweden | 14 | 1973 Brazilian Grand Prix |
| 21 | James Hunt | United Kingdom | 14 | 1976 Brazilian Grand Prix |
| 21 | Rubens Barrichello | Brazil | 14 | 1994 Belgian Grand Prix |
| 25 | Jack Brabham | Australia | 13 | 1959 British Grand Prix |
| 25 | Graham Hill | United Kingdom | 13 | 1962 Belgian Grand Prix |
| 25 | Jacky Ickx | Belgium | 13 | 1968 German Grand Prix |
| 25 | Jacques Villeneuve | Canada | 13 | 1996 Australian Grand Prix |
| 25 | Juan Pablo Montoya | Colombia | 13 | 2001 German Grand Prix |
| 25 | Mark Webber | Australia | 13 | 2009 German Grand Prix |
| 31 | Gerhard Berger | Austria | 12 | 1987 Portuguese Grand Prix |
| 31 | David Coulthard | United Kingdom | 12 | 1995 Argentine Grand Prix |
| 33 | Jochen Rindt | Austria | 10 | 1968 French Grand Prix |
| 34 | Valtteri Bottas | Finland | 9 | 2017 Bahrain Grand Prix |
| 34 | Riccardo Patrese | Italy | 8 | 1981 United States Grand Prix West |
| 34 | Jenson Button | United Kingdom | 8 | 2004 San Marino Grand Prix |
| 34 | John Surtees | United Kingdom | 8 | 1960 Portuguese Grand Prix |
| 37 | Jacques Laffite | France | 7 | 1976 Italian Grand Prix |
| 38 | Phil Hill | United States | 6 | 1960 Italian Grand Prix |
| 38 | Carlos Reutemann | Argentina | 6 | 1972 Argentine Grand Prix |
| 38 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Brazil | 6 | 1972 Monaco Grand Prix |
| 38 | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | France | 6 | 1979 South African Grand Prix |
| 38 | Alan Jones | Australia | 6 | 1979 British Grand Prix |
| 38 | Ralf Schumacher | Germany | 6 | 2001 French Grand Prix |
| 45 | Nino Farina | Italy | 5 | 1950 British Grand Prix |
| 45 | Chris Amon | New Zealand | 5 | 1968 Spanish Grand Prix |
| 45 | Clay Regazzoni | Switzerland | 5 | 1970 Mexican Grand Prix |
| 45 | Keke Rosberg | Finland | 5 | 1982 British Grand Prix |
| 45 | Patrick Tambay | France | 5 | 1983 United States Grand Prix West |
| 50 | Mike Hawthorn | United Kingdom | 4 | 1958 Belgian Grand Prix |
| 50 | Didier Pironi | France | 4 | 1980 Monaco Grand Prix |
| 50 | Giancarlo Fisichella | Italy | 4 | 1998 Austrian Grand Prix |
| 50 | Jarno Trulli | Italy | 4 | 2004 Monaco Grand Prix |
| 54 | José Froilán González | Argentina | 3 | 1951 British Grand Prix |
| 54 | Tony Brooks | United Kingdom | 3 | 1958 Monaco Grand Prix |
| 54 | Dan Gurney | United States | 3 | 1962 German Grand Prix |
| 54 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | France | 3 | 1975 Argentine Grand Prix |
| 54 | Jody Scheckter | South Africa | 3 | 1976 Swedish Grand Prix |
| 54 | Elio de Angelis | Italy | 3 | 1983 European Grand Prix |
| 54 | Teo Fabi | Italy | 3 | 1985 German Grand Prix |
| 54 | Daniel Ricciardo | Australia | 3 | 2016 Monaco Grand Prix |
| 62 | Stuart Lewis-Evans | United Kingdom | 2 | 1957 Italian Grand Prix |
| 62 | Jo Siffert | Switzerland | 2 | 1968 Mexican Grand Prix |
| 62 | John Watson | United Kingdom | 2 | 1977 Monaco Grand Prix |
| 62 | Gilles Villeneuve | Canada | 2 | 1979 United States Grand Prix West |
| 62 | Michele Alboreto | Italy | 2 | 1984 Belgian Grand Prix |
| 62 | Jean Alesi | France | 2 | 1994 Italian Grand Prix |
| 62 | Heinz-Harald Frentzen | Germany | 2 | 1997 Monaco Grand Prix |
| 69 | Walt Faulkner | United States | 1 | 1950 Indianapolis 500 |
| 69 | Duke Nalon | United States | 1 | 1951 Indianapolis 500 |
| 69 | Fred Agabashian | United States | 1 | 1952 Indianapolis 500 |
| 69 | Bill Vukovich | United States | 1 | 1953 Indianapolis 500 |
| 69 | Jack McGrath | United States | 1 | 1954 Indianapolis 500 |
| 69 | Jerry Hoyt | United States | 1 | 1955 Indianapolis 500 |
| 69 | Eugenio Castellotti | Italy | 1 | 1955 Belgian Grand Prix |
| 69 | Pat Flaherty | United States | 1 | 1956 Indianapolis 500 |
| 69 | Pat O'Connor | United States | 1 | 1957 Indianapolis 500 |
| 69 | Dick Rathmann | United States | 1 | 1958 Indianapolis 500 |
| 69 | Johnny Thomson | United States | 1 | 1959 Indianapolis 500 |
| 69 | Jo Bonnier | Sweden | 1 | 1959 Dutch Grand Prix |
| 69 | Eddie Sachs | United States | 1 | 1960 Indianapolis 500 |
| 69 | Wolfgang von Trips | Germany | 1 | 1961 Italian Grand Prix |
| 69 | Lorenzo Bandini | Italy | 1 | 1966 French Grand Prix |
| 69 | Mike Parkes | United Kingdom | 1 | 1966 Italian Grand Prix |
| 69 | Peter Revson | United States | 1 | 1972 Canadian Grand Prix |
| 69 | Denny Hulme | New Zealand | 1 | 1973 South African Grand Prix |
| 69 | Patrick Depailler | France | 1 | 1974 Swedish Grand Prix |
| 69 | José Carlos Pace | Brazil | 1 | 1975 South African Grand Prix |
| 69 | Vittorio Brambilla | Italy | 1 | 1975 Swedish Grand Prix |
| 69 | Tom Pryce | United Kingdom | 1 | 1975 British Grand Prix |
| 69 | Bruno Giacomelli | Italy | 1 | 1980 United States Grand Prix |
| 69 | Andrea de Cesaris | Italy | 1 | 1982 United States Grand Prix West |
| 69 | Thierry Boutsen | Belgium | 1 | 1990 Hungarian Grand Prix |
| 69 | Nick Heidfeld | Germany | 1 | 2005 European Grand Prix |
| 69 | Robert Kubica | Poland | 1 | 2008 Bahrain Grand Prix |
| 69 | Heikki Kovalainen | Finland | 1 | 2008 British Grand Prix |
| 69 | Nico Hülkenberg | Germany | 1 | 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix |
| 69 | Pastor Maldonado | Venezuela | 1 | 2012 Spanish Grand Prix |
| 69 | Charles Leclerc | Monaco | 1 | 2019 Bahrain Grand Prix |
*Bold indicates F1 World Championship winning drivers
FAQs
Lewis Hamilton has the most pole positions in Formula 1.
Max Verstappen has 40 pole positions as of October 23rd, 2024.
Lewis Hamilton has 104 pole positions in Formula 1 as of October 23rd, 2024.
Ayrton Senna and Max Verstappen have the longest streak of pole positions with 8 consecutive poles.
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