The Formula 1 drivers who waited longest for a maiden pole position

Formula 1 history is full of brilliant drivers who had to wait an eternity just to see their name at the top of a Qualifying monitor. After snatched pole position for the Italian Grand Prix, it is worth looking back at the staggering waits others endured before finally capturing that elusive first top spot.

Pierre Gasly claimed his maiden pole position for Alpine at Monza, pulling off one of the shocks of the season, and in the process ending a near nine-year wait to top a Qualifying session. That momentous result moved him to 191 races before a pole position, placing him near the top of this historic list.

At the very top of the list sits , who required 216 races. Having driven underdog machinery for Sauber, a year at a struggling McLaren, and Force India/Racing Point, pole positions were never truly in the offing until he joined Red Bull. In 2022, around the of Jeddah, Perez defeated Leclerc by just 0.025s to at last score his first pole position.

Other notable entries include Mika Hakkinen and Daniel Ricciardo, tied on 94 races. Hakkinen finally landed his breakthrough pole position at the Luxembourg Grand Prix, held at Germany's , at the antepenultimate round in 1997. Ricciardo, meanwhile, delivered a stunner in Q3 around the streets of Monaco in 2016 to grab top spot for Red Bull.

Nico Rosberg needed 111 races before securing pole position, fronting team mate Michael Schumacher in a front-row lock-out, for Mercedes' first pole since 1955 at in 2012. Thierry Boutsen waited 115 races, eventually edging Riccardo Patrese by just 0.036s at the twisty in 1990 for Williams. Jarno Trulli took 119 races, putting his Renault R24 into pole position with a sublime lap in Monaco in 2004.

Mark Webber's wait spanned 131 races before he finally claimed a maiden pole position for the German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring with Red Bull in 2009. endured 141 races, culminating in a shock pole in Brazil for Haas when rain worsened after he set a rapid time on slicks in Q3. Carlos Sainz waited 151 races, eventually putting his Ferrari at the front in Qualifying at a wet , lapping just 0.072s clear of .