Who is the driver to take the most consecutive pole positions at the same F1 Grand Prix?
Over the years, quite a few drivers have secured pole position on consecutive occasions at a single race in F1.
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Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, and, Ayrton Senna
Formula 1, since its inception in 1950, has seen quite a plethora of prolific drivers who have come into the sport. In this sense, the pinnacle of motor racing has been quite fortunate. The continuous arrival of brilliant drivers has played a key role in making the sport the global phenomenon that it has become in modern times.
There is no other sport that even comes close to the kind of stardom that Formula 1 has got. This has been mostly down to the F1 drivers that have graced their sport with their presence over the years. Without the drivers, the sport would not have been able to find a permanent place in the hearts of the fans.
While there have been several records that have found their way into the history books of Formula 1, with the help of this piece, the focus is going to be on the drivers who have managed to score the most consecutive pole positions at a single Grand Prix. Pole positions are immensely important in F1 as it gives a driver the best chance of winning a Grand Prix. There are quite a few prolific drivers in the sport’s long history who have managed to achieve consecutive pole positions at a single event.
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List of most consecutive pole positions at a single Grand Prix
5. Charles Leclerc – 3 consecutive poles
From the bottom to the top, the first driver on the unique record list is Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque driver has managed to land his car in the pole position on three consecutive occasions at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. He managed to do it consecutively during 2021, 2022, and 2023. In his career so far, he has proved himself as the master of the Baku street circuit.
While most of the other drivers on this list will be retired past drivers, Leclerc, on the other hand, is still in his early years at the pinnacle of motor racing and has got a bright future ahead of him. Who knows, in the upcoming years, he might set other F1 records that would help in building his own legacy in the sport.
4. Stirling Moss and Sebastian Vettel- 4 consecutive poles
Regarding the fourth slot of the list, there have been a total of six drivers who have managed to win a single Grand Prix on four consecutive occasions. Former F1 driver Stirling Moss did it between 1995-1998 at the British Grand Prix, and Jim Clark managed it at the French GP and the British GP between 1962-1965.
Michael Schumacher, on the other hand, managed to secure the pole position on four consecutive occasions at the Malaysian Grand Prix between 1999-2002. Sebastian Vettel, the former four-time F1 World Champion, secured the feat at the Japanese GP between 2009-2012. The last man to achieve the same record is Lewis Hamilton. The Brit has managed to achieve the feat thrice. Between 2014-2017 he secured pole position on four consecutive occasions at the Italian GP and the Malaysian GP, and between 2015-2019, he secured the pole position consecutively at the British GP.
3. Michael Schumacher – 5 consecutive poles
While several F1 drivers have achieved four consecutive pole positions at a single Grand Prix, there is only one driver who has managed to secure the pole position consecutively on five occasions at a single race. That driver is the former 7-time F1 World Champion, Michael Schumacher. Moreover, the German managed to achieve the feat twice in his career.
Firstly he won five consecutive pole positions at the Japanese Grand Prix between 1998-2002, and secondly, he could repeat his heroics at the Spanish Grand Prix between 2000-2004. During his racing days, he was a beast whenever he used to get racing on an F1 circuit. There were not many drivers who were able to watch him during his prime years.
2. Lewis Hamilton – 6 consecutive poles
Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher have managed to find a place on this list twice. While they have both secured pole positions on four consecutive occasions at a single race, Lewis Hamilton has done one better on Schumacher as far as the German’s five consecutive pole positions record is concerned.
So far in his illustrious career, Lewis Hamilton has secured the pole position on six consecutively in a single race. The Brit has, so far in his career, secured pole positions six consecutive times at the Australian Grand Prix. He secured the pole position consecutively in Australia between 2014-2019. This is some record, and nothing less would be expected from a driver considered the best to have ever stepped foot into Formula 1. Just like Schumacher, he has won 7 World Championships and could win his eighth in the future years to have the record to himself.
1. Ayrton Senna – 7 consecutive poles
The last driver on the list is the Brazilian maestro, Ayrton Senna. While he lost his life under unfortunate circumstances at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, before that, he achieved quite a few landmarks in the sport. His F1 career began in 1984 at the Brazilian Grand Prix. During his time in the sport, he achieved quite a few accolades and one of which was securing the pole position for the San Marino Grand Prix on seven consecutive occasions.
No other driver in the long history of the pinnacle of motor racing has managed to secure pole position for seven consecutive times at a single Grand Prix. Ayrton Senna managed to land his car in the pole position on seven consecutive occasions between 1985-1990. He was a one-of-a-kind driver, and since his unfortunate demise, he is remembered for his brilliant racing skills.
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Rishabh Negi
(3244 Articles Published)