Arvid Lindblad has the best average positions gained in F1 2026: +3.71. Behind the leader come Sergio Pérez (Cadillac F1 Team, +3.60), Isack Hadjar (Red Bull, +3.40), Esteban Ocon (Haas F1 Team, +3.33) and Liam Lawson (RB F1 Team, +3.00). First to fifth is separated by 0.71. Average positions gained per race, from grid slot to finish.
The biggest move at the Singapore Grand Prix was Isack Hadjar, up 4 places to P3. Nobody has pushed harder over the last three rounds than Arvid Lindblad (RB F1 Team): +8, +12 across Azerbaijan Grand Prix and Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia — comfortably clear of the level set over the rest of the season. Going the other way, Oscar Piastri (McLaren) has given up the most ground: -10, 0, +1 across Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia and Singapore Grand Prix, below the standard set earlier in the year.
So why is this ranking worth your time? Because it is exactly the kind of question every fan argues about and almost nobody actually counts. This one is counted: 19 drivers and 17 races of the F1 2026 season, built race by race from the official classifications. No votes, no opinions, no cherry-picked highlights — if a driver moves here, something real happened on track. And it recomputes itself after every Grand Prix, so the next time the argument comes up, the answer is already up to date.
Updated after the Singapore Grand Prix
The data after the Singapore Grand Prix is unambiguous: Arvid Lindblad heads the "Best average positions gained" ranking at +3.71 from 7 races.
The chase is led by Sergio Pérez at +3.60; Isack Hadjar sits third with +3.40.
This table is rebuilt from the official classification after every Grand Prix, so it moves only when the racing does. The big mover this round is Isack Hadjar, up 4 places to P3. Esteban Ocon heads the other way, down 1 place to P4.
After the Singapore Grand Prix in round 17 of the 2026 season, Arvid Lindblad (RB F1 Team) remains the benchmark for Best average positions gained at +3.71 across 7 races counted. Sergio Pérez is right on his tail with +3.60, while Isack Hadjar has climbed into third at +3.40 after jumping 4 places to new rank 3. Further down, George Russell also made a notable leap, up 4 places to 14th with +0.21, while Esteban Ocon, Liam Lawson, and Alexander Albon each slipped by 1 spot to 4th (+3.33), 5th (+3.00), and 6th (+2.67). The standout theme this week is how compressed the fight is at the very top: with Pérez and Hadjar both within a few tenths of Lindblad, one strong swing in positions gained could be enough to reshuffle the podium of this ranking even without a dramatic headline change elsewhere.
The same per-race gain used in "Most positions gained" (grid position minus final classification, classified races with a proper grid slot only), averaged over the races counted. Unlike "Biggest improvement vs qualifying", this uses the official starting grid, so grid penalties affect it. A minimum of 3 counted races is required; drivers below the threshold are excluded, never estimated. Ties are broken by total season points, then alphabetically.
The same per-race gain used in "Most positions gained" (grid position minus final classification, classified races with a proper grid slot only), averaged over the races counted. Unlike "Biggest improvement vs qualifying", this uses the official starting grid, so grid penalties affect it. A minimum of 3 counted races is required; drivers below the threshold are excluded, never estimated. Ties are broken by total season points, then alphabetically.
After every Grand Prix. The standings above reflect results through the Singapore Grand Prix.
A higher value is better — the driver at the top of the table is the strongest by this measure.
Arvid Lindblad (RB F1 Team), with +3.71.