Hamilton claims pole in Canada in 2007 — Photo: © LAT Images

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton - top-10 poles of his F1 career

Discover the F1 legend's best one-lap wonders after landmark 100th pole

Will Gray

Saturday 8 May 2021 16:20 Updated: 23:38

Canadian Grand Prix 2017

Pole number: 65 Race result: Winner

At the scene of his first success, it was fitting that Hamilton matched Ayrton Senna’s number of poles back in Montreal, and he did so with a performance that had similarities to the very best of those set by his late, great hero.

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On a track where one tiny mistake can literally put you in the wall, and in a season when Sebastian Vettel, Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen were all on top of their game, Hamilton set an impossible-to-beat time on his first run then bettered it on his second. He later described it as “close to perfection.”

Later that day, he was presented with a helmet worn by Senna in 1987 to which he said: “I’m shaking. I can’t believe it. I remember getting home from school and putting on the video of Ayrton, so its strange that I’m here now with that many poles.”

Italian Grand Prix 2017

Pole number: 69 Race result: Winner

When the rain came down in Italy, Hamilton showed he is the master of tricky conditions by lapping the high-speed track more than a second quicker than the rest of the field. What a way to claim the all-time pole record from Michael Schumacher.

The drivers had been left waiting for more than two-and-a-half hours as the rain teemed down, but when they finally emerged, Hamilton’s final lap to take pole was the epitome of on-the-edge car control.

After surpassing Michael Schumacher’s pole record, an emotional Hamilton said: “I wish I was better with words. Growing up, witnessing greatness in other individuals such as Michael, I am living proof that dreams can come true.”

Australian Grand Prix 2018

Pole number: 73 Race result: Second

With this emphatic inch perfect season-opening performance, Hamilton laid down the gauntlet for the year, then joked about holding back his best “to wipe the smile“ off the face of his rival Sebastian Vettel.

The final shoot-out was disrupted by a heavy crash from Hamilton’s team-mate Bottas, but he kept his cool to set a best lap more than six tenths faster than the rest of the field.

After stepping out of the car, Hamilton said: “My heart is racing. I am so happy with that lap. It was such a nice lap. I am always striving for perfection and that was as close as I could get."

Singapore Grand Prix 2018

Pole number: 79 Race result: Winner

Hamilton’s Mercedes was not supposed to be strong on the Singapore circuit, but nobody told him that and he steered around the barriers to shatter the previous year’s pole time by a massive 3.475secs.

Hamilton called the lap “magic” while Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said his driver had sprinkled “stardust” on the track in what was the “most epic” lap around the circuit he had seen.

Some minor track changes and a supersoft tyre helped Hamilton but even so, the lap was 1.329s faster than his effort in Q2. Hamilton had to admit he did not know where the improvements had come from.

Styrian Grand Prix 2020

Pole number: 89 Race result: Winner

Wolff described this lap as “just not from this world” after Hamilton, who typically excels in the wet, showed absolute mastery of low-grip conditions to finish an astonishing 1.216s faster than his rivals.

He was quick enough to claim pole after his first time out, but then went and set an even faster lap despite worsening conditions.

Wolff explained: “He is balancing the car on the edge. Aquaplaning. Throttle control was incredible. Driver and car merge into one. A perfect car with the tyres in the right window, and perfect driveability from the power unit, come together with the skill and intelligence of a racing driver. Only then do you see these kinds of performances."