F1 Most positions gained on lap one — 2026

Total positions gained from the grid by the end of the opening lap.

Updated after the Belgian Grand Prix

  1. 1. Carlos Sainz (Williams) — +29
  2. 2. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) — +29
  3. 3. Esteban Ocon (Haas F1 Team) — +19
  4. 4. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) — +18
  5. 5. Sergio Pérez (Cadillac F1 Team) — +18
  6. 6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) — +16
  7. 7. Arvid Lindblad (RB F1 Team) — +15
  8. 8. Franco Colapinto (Alpine F1 Team) — +14
  9. 9. Liam Lawson (RB F1 Team) — +12
  10. 10. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) — +11
  11. 11. Pierre Gasly (Alpine F1 Team) — +10
  12. 12. Lando Norris (McLaren) — +6
  13. 13. Alexander Albon (Williams) — +6
  14. 14. Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac F1 Team) — +6
  15. 15. George Russell (Mercedes) — -6
  16. 16. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) — -6
  17. 17. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) — -10
  18. 18. Oliver Bearman (Haas F1 Team) — -10
  19. 19. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) — -13
  20. 20. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) — -13
  21. 21. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) — -14
  22. 22. Nico Hülkenberg (Audi) — -25

Carlos Sainz tops the 2026 "Most positions gained on lap one" standings after the Belgian Grand Prix, posting +29 across 10 counted races.

Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) is next at +29, with Esteban Ocon third at +19.

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 P17. Lewis Hamilton heads the other way, down 2 places to P10.

After the Belgian Grand Prix (round 10), Carlos Sainz (Williams) still leads the “Most positions gained on lap one” ranking on +29 across 10 races counted, with Fernando Alonso level on +29 in second and Esteban Ocon third on +19. Isack Hadjar is the big mover, up 4 places to 17th despite sitting on -10, while Franco Colapinto climbs 2 to 8th (+14) and Liam Lawson also rises 2 to 9th (+12). On the flip side, Lewis Hamilton drops 2 to 10th (+11), Pierre Gasly falls 2 to 11th (+10), and Valtteri Bottas slips 2 to 14th (+6).

Methodology

For every race where a driver started from a proper grid slot (pit-lane starts, grid 0, are excluded — there is no grid slot to measure from) and lap-1 timing data is available, we take grid position minus classified position at the end of lap 1. Positive means places gained in the opening lap. The ranking sums those per-race gains across the season. Races without lap-1 data on record are excluded entirely for that driver, never estimated. A minimum of 3 counted races is required. Ties are broken by total season points, then alphabetically.