In 2019, Formula 1 began awarding a bonus point to the who sets the fastest lap time during a Grand Prix. As the machines they race in have grown to become faster and faster, the lap records have got quicker and quicker, and classic laps that have stood the test of time are finally starting to fall.
You will often see that as a driver sets the fastest time, that they have also broken the lap record at that circuit.
There are some anomalies, where lap records by the likes of Michael Schumacher have not been broken for decades, and there are definitely some surprises in there…
Lap records at Formula 1 circuits
Full list of Formula 1 lap records
Grand Prix | Circuit | Lap time | Driver | Team | Date |
Bahrain Grand Prix | Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir | 1:31.447 | Pedro de la Rosa | McLaren | 3 April 2005 |
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix | Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola | 1:15.484 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1 November 2020 |
Portuguese Grand Prix | Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, Portimao | 1:18.750 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 25 October 2020 |
Spanish Grand Prix | Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya | 1:16.330 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 4 June 2023 |
Monaco Grand Prix | Circuit de Monte Carlo | 1:12.909 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 23 May 2021 |
Azerbaijan Grand Prix | Baku City Circuit | 1:43.009 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 28 April 2019 |
French Grand Prix | Circuit Paul Ricard, Le Castellet | 1:32.740 | Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | 23 June 2019 |
Austrian (& Styrian) Grand Prix | Red Bull Ring | 1:05.619 | Carlos Sainz | McLaren | 12 July 2020 |
British Grand Prix | Silverstone Circuit | 1:27.097 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 2 August 2020 |
Hungarian Grand Prix | Hungaroring, Budapest | 1:16.627 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 19 July 2020 |
Belgian Grand Prix | Circuit Spa-Francorchamps | 1:46.286 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 26 August 2018 |
Dutch Grand Prix | Circuit Zandvoort | 1:11.097 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 5 September 2021 |
Italian Grand Prix | Autodromo Nazionale Monza | 1:21.046 | Rubens Barichello | Ferrari | 12 September 2004 |
Russian Grand Prix | Sochi Autodrom | 1:35.761 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 29 September 2019 |
Turkish Grand Prix | Istanbul Park Circuit | 1:24.770 | Juan Pablo Montoya | McLaren | 21 August 2005 |
Japanese Grand Prix | Suzuka | 1:30.983 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 13 October 2019 |
United States Grand Prix | Circuit of the Americas, Austin | 1:36.169 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 3 November 2019 |
Mexican Grand Prix | Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City | 1:17.774 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 7 November 2021 |
Brazilian Grand Prix | Autódromo José Carlos Pace, Interlagos | 1:10.540 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 11 November 2018 |
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix | Jeddah Street Circuit | 1:30.734 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 5 December 2021 |
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | Yas Marina Circuit | 1:26.103 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 12 December 2021 |
Singapore Grand Prix | Marina Bay Street Circuit | 1:41.905 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas | 16 September 2018 |
Chinese Grand Prix | Shanghai International Circuit | 1:32.238 | Michael Schumacher | Ferrari | 26 September 2004 |
Canadian Grand Prix | Circuit Gilles Villeneuve | 1:13.078 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 9 June 2019 |
Australian Grand Prix | Albert Park Circuit | 1:20.235 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull | 2 April 2023 |
Driver with the most lap records
Lewis Hamilton – 8 lap records
The Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton currently holds the record for the most lap records. He has been the fastest driver to ever race a lap in Imola, Portimao, Monaco, Hungary, Zandvoort, Sochi, Suzuka and Yas Marina. The majority of his record-setting laps occurred during his title-winning 2019 season.

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Team with the most lap records
Mercedes – 12 records
Despite Red Bulls recent domination, Mercedes are still the team with the most lap records in Formula 1. Valtteri Bottas’ four records at Montreal, Interlagos, Mexico City and Spa bumps the team’s total to 12.

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Longest-standing lap record
Rubens Barichello at Monza – 12 September 2004
This season, Red Bull’s Sergio Perez finally beat Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari F2004 record at the Australian Grand Prix. The 1:24.125 lap at Albert Park Circuit had stood since 7 March 2004. In the 2023 season, the Mexican driver broke the record by four seconds, making the new time to beat 1:20.235.

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This means that Rubens Barrichello’s 1:21.046 lap at Monza in 2004 is now the longest-standing lap record in Formula 1.
Close second in the longest-standing lap record is Pedro de la Rosa, whose 2005 lap at the Bahrain Grand Prix clocked in at 1:31.447 for McLaren. This record is yet to be beaten.

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