How many qualifying records did F1 break in 2021?

It is clear that the reduction in downforce from 2020 to 2021, as well as the partial freeze in car development, have gone a long way to prevent F1 cars this year from being as quick as their predecessors.

In 2020, of the 11 circuits known for the category, only three maintained the pole position record lap time. However, in 2021 only one record fell: the one in Istanbul, which still held the 2011 record, largely thanks to last year’s rain and a more than problematic asphalt.

Apart from this layout and also the ‘new’ versions of some modified circuits such as Barcelona, Zandvoort and Yas Marina, none of the records set between 2018 and 2020 have been able to be bettered this season.

Best F1 qualifying times in 2021

Keep in mind from the start that this table includes the best times achieved during a qualifying session. The vast majority of these have, of course, meant pole positions, but with the introduction of sprint racing at three grands prix it changed the thinking that a ‘pole’ is always linked to a time achieved in a qualifying session.

For example, Max Verstappen set nine fastest times but took 10 pole positions, while Lewis Hamilton’s seven fastest times turned into 5 pole positions.

In bold, in the fourth column, are the records set in 2021.

Big prize	Pilot	Equipment	Times 2021	Difference with the 2nd	tires	Previous or current record	Won?
Bahrain	Verstappen	Red Bull	1’28″997	0.388	C4	1’27″264 (2020)	Nope
E. Romagna	Hamilton	Mercedes	1’14″411	0.035	C4	1’13″609 (2020)	No
Portugal	Bottas	Mercedes	1’18″348	0,007	C3	1’16″652 (2020)	No
Spain	hamilton	Mercedes	1’16″741	0.036	C3	–	Yes
Monaco	Leclerc*	ferrari	1’10″346	0.230	C5	1’10″166 (2019)	Nope
Azerbaijan	Leclerc	ferrari	1’41″218	0.232	C5	1’40″495 (2019)	Nope
France	Verstappen	Red Bull	1’29″990	0.258	C4	1’28″319 (2019)	Yes
Styria	Verstappen	Red Bull	1’03 “841	0.194	C4	1’02 “939 (2020)	Yes
Austria	Verstappen	Red Bull	1’03″720	0.048	C5	1’02″939 (2020)	Yes
G. Brittany	hamilton**	Mercedes	1’26″134	0.075	C3	1’24″303 (2020)	Yes
Hungary	hamilton	Mercedes	1’15″419	0.315	C4	1’13″447 (2020)	Nope
Belgium	Verstappen	Red Bull	1’59″765	0.321		1’41″252 (2020)	Yes
P. Low	Verstappen	Red Bull	1’08″885	0.038	C3	–	Yes
Italy	Bottas**	Mercedes	1’19″555	0,096	C4	1’18″887 (2020)	No
Russia	Norris	McLaren	1’41″993	0.517	C5	1’31″304 (2020)	Nope
Turkey	hamilton***	Mercedes	1’22″868	0.130	C4	1’25″049 (2011)	Nope
USES	Verstappen	Red Bull	1’32″910	0.209	C4	1’32″029 (2019)	Yes
Mexico	boots	Mercedes	1’15″875	0.145	C4	1’14″759 (2018)	Nope
San Pablo	Verstappen**	Red Bull	1’08″372	0,097	C4	1’07″281 (2018)	No
Qatar	Hamilton	Mercedes	1’20″827	0.597	C3	–	Are u
A. Saudi	Hamilton	Mercedes	1’27″511	0.111	C4	–	Are u
Abu Dhabi	Verstappen	Red Bull	1’22″109	0.371	C5	–	Yes

* Did not check out
** Fastest qualifying time on Friday in a sprint format weekend.
*** Penalized on the starting grid (started 11th).

Average speed of the best qualifying laps in 2021