Who has the fastest lap ever recorded in an F1 race?

Formula One is the most prestigious motorsport in the world. The sport is well-known for its high-speed racing and advanced technology, which has resulted in some of the most incredible lap times ever recorded. The title of the driver with the fastest lap in F1 history has been hotly contested over the years, with many talented drivers breaking records and pushing the limits of what is possible on the track.

The top ten drivers with the fastest lap in F1 history include some of the most iconic names. These drivers have all set impressive lap times throughout their careers and have established themselves as some of the greatest talents in F1 history.  Explore the stories behind these incredible lap times.

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Here is the list of the Top 10 fastest laps in F1

10. Lewis Hamilton (2019 Monaco) – 1:10.166s

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton won the 2019 Monaco Grand Prix with the tenth-fastest lap time in F1 history, setting a new track record in qualifying. Teammate Valtteri Bottas finished second, giving Mercedes its 50th front-row lockout. Ferrari was dealt a blow as Charles Leclerc was eliminated in Q1 owing to a crew error.

The Monaco Grand Prix began with a solemn minute of silence to remember the late Niki Lauda and was followed by a spectacular and memorable race. Lewis Hamilton kept his pole position lead, but Charles Leclerc’s chances of a great home finish were shattered by a lap eight incident that inflicted severe damage to his vehicle. Max Verstappen raced hard to pass Hamilton, but a five-second penalty for a dangerous pit release denied him a podium finish. Mercedes nonetheless won for the sixth time in a row, with Sebastian Vettel and Valtteri Bottas rounding out the podium and dedicating their triumph to Austrian great and Non-Executive Chairman Niki Lauda.

9. Clay Regazzoni (1974 Belgian GP) – 1:09.820s

The event was held at Nivelles-Baulers. The leaders were Clay Regazzoni, Emerson Fittipaldi, Jody Scheckter, and Niki Lauda, with the rest of the field close behind. The race was split into three groups, with the top six drivers battling it out behind Regazzoni. Carlos Pace and Patrick Depailler lead the other groupings. It was tough to overtake, but Stuck, Ickx, and Merzario were able to move up the order. 

On lap 25, the leaders approached the backmarkers to lap them, and a balk by Pace resulted in Regazzoni misjudging a move and falling onto the grass. Fittipaldi capitalized on the opportunity and gained the lead. Regazzoni rejoined Lauda, and Peterson and Hunt struggled to push their way through the group. Hailwood eventually caught and overtook Depailler, and the Lotus cars were forced to retire due to mechanical troubles. Fittipaldi went on to win the race, with Niki Lauda and pole-sitter Clay Regazzoni finishing second and third, respectively.

8. Lewis Hamilton (2018 Brazilian GP) – 1:07.281s

Lewis Hamilton stormed to pole position with a lap time of 1:07.281s at the 2018 Brazilian Grand Prix, having already won the Drivers’ Championship, while Ferrari and Mercedes battled for the Constructors’ Championship. Hamilton easily dominated the race until Max Verstappen, who started seventh, raced up to him and overtook him around lap 40. 

Verstappen then increased his advantage over Hamilton until lap 44, when he collided with Esteban Ocon, who was attempting to unlap himself, forcing both cars to spin and allowing Hamilton to recover the lead and win the race. Ocon received a ten-second stop-go penalty as a result of the incident. Mercedes won the Constructors’ Championship, with Red Bull second and Ferrari third. Daniel Ricciardo finished fourth, while Sebastian Vettel finished sixth. Verstappen received two days of community service for his violent incident with Ocon in the garage.

7. Nelson Piquet Sr. (1986 British GP) – 1:06.961s

Nelson Piquet won the pole position at the 1986 British Grand Prix, the ninth race of the F1 season, held at Brands Hatch. A multi-car pile-up at the start of the race ended Jacques Laffite’s Formula One career when he shattered both legs. 

The race was called off and restarted when Laffite was airlifted to the hospital. After a fight with teammate Nelson Piquet, local driver Nigel Mansell won the race in a Williams-Honda. Alain Prost, the reigning world champion, finished third in his McLaren-TAG. The event was the penultimate staged at Brands Hatch and the final British Grand Prix there. Silverstone took over as the venue in the following year, 1987.

6. Keke Rosberg (1985 British GP) – 1:05.591s

The 1985 British Grand Prix at Silverstone was dominated by the incredible speed of the circuit, with Keke Rosberg‘s pole position lap clocking in as the fastest in F1 history for 17 years. Despite Rosberg’s impressive start, Ayrton Senna took the lead from him and went on to lead the race until his fuel injection failed. 

Alain Prost‘s McLaren, with its superior performance in high-speed corners, then took the lead and won the race, followed by Michele Alboreto’s Ferrari and Jacques Laffite’s Ligier. The race ended prematurely when the chequered flag was mistakenly shown a lap early, causing controversy over the podium positions. Prost’s win moved him closer to the championship lead, while McLaren moved up in the constructors’ standings.

5. Nigel Mansell (1990 French GP) – 1:04.402s

The 1990 French Grand Prix saw Nigel Mansell take the pole position, but it was the Leyton House Racing team who caused a stir. Italian driver Ivan Capelli and Brazilian driver Maurício Gugelmin led the race for two-thirds of the time after the team’s highly efficient aerodynamic package allowed them to race without stopping for fresh tires. However, Prost overtook Capelli on lap 77 to win the race, closing the gap to championship points leader Ayrton Senna to just three points. Prost’s win was his third for the season, his fifth French Grand Prix overall, and the 100th Grand Prix victory for Ferrari. Capelli finished second, with Senna coming in third. It would prove to be the last podium finish for Capelli and the only one for the Leyton House Racing team.

4. Valtteri Bottas (2020 Austrian GP) – 1:02.939s

The 2020 Formula One season was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, causing the cancellation or postponement of several Grands Prix. The Austrian Grand Prix marked the opening round, with Valtteri Bottas , clinching the pole position ahead of Hamilton and Verstappen. Ferrari struggled in qualifying, with Leclerc in seventh and Vettel in eleventh.

The race saw Max Verstappen retire early due to an electrical issue, while Lance Stroll and Daniel Ricciardo also faced problems. The safety car was deployed twice, with eight of the remaining drivers opting for a second tire change. Mercedes drivers were warned to avoid kerbs due to gearbox damage. The pole sitter took it to the chequered flag, with Leclerc finishing second. Hamilton received a penalty for a collision with Albon, dropping him to fourth behind Norris. Sainz passed Pérez on the final lap to finish fifth.

3. Nigel Mansell (1985 South African GP) – 1:02.236s

The 1985 South African Grand Prix was marked by political controversy, as Ligier and Renault boycotted the race due to mounting international pressure against the apartheid system. Despite the personal reservations of many Formula One drivers, including Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell, they still participated as they were contractually obligated. 

Mansell went on to secure pole position and ultimately won the race in a Williams-Honda, with laurel wreaths being given to the drivers at the podium for the final time in a World Championship Grand Prix. The event marked the last Formula One race in South Africa until apartheid ended in 1992, with the FISA president announcing that the Grand Prix would not return due to the political climate.

2. Niki Lauda (1974 French GP) 58.790s

The 1974 French Grand Prix was a momentous event, marked by the first World Championship Grand Prix, where lap times of less than one minute were set during qualifying. A total of 12 drivers, including the pole position starter Niki Lauda, achieved this feat. The race itself saw a relatively uneventful start, with Tom Pryce unable to capitalize on his impressive 3rd place grid position due to a collision with Carlos Reutemann that also took out James Hunt and Henri Pescarolo. 

Lauda led convincingly until handling problems caused him to drop back, allowing Ronnie Peterson to take the lead and secure victory. Lauda followed in second, with Clay Regazzoni coming in third despite experiencing vibration problems. Jody Scheckter finished fourth, closely behind Regazzoni. The race was a fitting tribute to the 80th birthday of the ACF, with a parade of vintage cars featuring celebrated drivers from the past to the present.

1. Valtteri Bottas (2020 Bahrain GP) 53.377s

The 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix was a historical race held at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain. It was the first Formula One race to be held on the ‘Outer Circuit’ layout, which was shorter than the ‘Grand Prix’ layout used in the Bahrain Grand Prix the week prior. Lap times during qualifying were under one minute, with Valtteri Bottas setting a new record for the shortest pole position lap in F1 history. He qualified for pole position, with George Russell achieving second place in his debut qualifying session for Mercedes, substituting for the COVID-hit Hamilton, just 0.026 seconds off Bottas’ pole time.

On Sunday, George Russell made a quick getaway off the starting grid to take the lead, with teammate Valtteri Bottas behind in second. A three-way fight for third ensued between Leclerc, Verstappen, and Pérez, but a collision led to Leclerc and Verstappen’s retirement. Russell was in the running for his first F1 victory until a pit stop mix-up dropped him to fifth. Pérez won his first-ever Grand Prix, followed by Ocon in second and Stroll in third. Racing Point scored its first-ever victory, while Ocon achieved his first F1 podium. The stewards penalized Leclerc and concluded that only a monetary fine was necessary for Mercedes’s pit stop errors.

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