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The Greatest Qualifying Lap Ever?

Started by NeverScared , Dec 30 2010 19:01

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#1 NeverScared

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 19:01

What is the greatest single qualifying lap ever?

Several of Senna's at Monaco should be up there (especially 1988), but can anyone think of a lap you've seen that just defied belief and and the laws of physics, making you think - how the hell did he do that?

My vote goes to Mansell in the Brazilian grand Prix in 1988, putting the bloody-awful Williams Judd 2nd on the grid, splitting the McLarens of Senna and Prost, who were driving the most dominant F1 car ever. His car was something like 14mph slower down that very long main straight and to this day, I just cannot understand how on earth he did it!

Schumacher in Monaco 1996 also stands out, as do several of Senna's in the Lotus during 1985-6. Any other ideas?

#2 Risil

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 19:05

Rosberg at Silverstone in 1985 of course.

#3 Crafty

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 19:23

Whilst its not instantly breathtaking I keep coming back to this video, I guess if only to consider that this was normal. Awesome.

#4 domhnall

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 19:29

#5 phil1993

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 19:36

I thought Raikkonen's Q1 lap in 2005 (remember when there was Q1 & Q2 for a few races) in Monaco was breathtaking. Alonso had just gone 0.4s quicker than Webber and then Raikkonen went and smashed that time as well

Edited by phil1993, 30 December 2010 - 19:39.

#6 johnmhinds

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 19:56

This isn't the fastest lap around Spa, but watching Kimi drive full speed into the smoke was truly breathtaking.

#7 domhnall

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 20:09

Sadly i could only find a short clip of this amazing lap, but at least it's the best bit;

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

#8 korzeniow

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 20:12

Jarno Trulli Pole Lap Monaco 2004

#9 Pink Snail

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 20:18

I think Keke`s Silverstone pre the changed circuit still has to be very high on the list, Ayrton`s various laps at Monaco also special. One I look at regularly on You Tube and still wonder "How did he do that? :eek:

" is Martin Stretton in the Historic F2 at Spa. I know it isn`t F1 but he actually goes off at Pouhon and passes traffic later at Blanchimont - and still takes pole :smoking:

!!
Some of the F1 guys have put some stunning times in over the yeats but going back a while when they maybe `missed` a change, or had a slow puncture (Keke/Silverstone) leaves you thinking .....what if? Nice thread!! :up:

#10 kosmic33

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 20:43

Jarno Trulli Pole Lap Monaco 2004

WOW!

We have a winner

#11 William Hunt

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 20:44

IMHO it has to be Keke Rosberg's wonder lap in Silverstone 1985!

#12 aditya-now

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 20:54

What is the greatest single qualifying lap ever?

Several of Senna's at Monaco should be up there (especially 1988), but can anyone think of a lap you've seen that just defied belief and and the laws of physics, making you think - how the hell did he do that?

My vote goes to Mansell in the Brazilian grand Prix in 1988, putting the bloody-awful Williams Judd 2nd on the grid, splitting the McLarens of Senna and Prost, who were driving the most dominant F1 car ever. His car was something like 14mph slower down that very long main straight and to this day, I just cannot understand how on earth he did it!

Schumacher in Monaco 1996 also stands out, as do several of Senna's in the Lotus during 1985-6. Any other ideas?

Sorry, NeverScared, I might sound boring, but for me number one still is Senna´s Monaco 1988. If you read the book "Overdrive" by Clyde Brolin about the full background of the lap, it makes it even more spectacular.

Second: Gerhard Berger, Hockenheim 1997 after having missed the two races before, having been hospitalized and having lost his father in a plane crash.

#13 HAM

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 20:56

Was impressed with Mark's Monaco 2010 pole and of course the Lewis Canada 2010 pole to break the RB poles in a row record.

Edited by HAM, 30 December 2010 - 20:56.

#14 F1ultimate

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 20:58

This might not be the best example but certainly a memorable one: Lewis' Hamilton's pole position lap in Canada 2010. Finishing a fumes to then ghost ride your whip and push it is simply awesome, especially when the pole position was one of only two non-RB poles of the season.

#15 ensign14

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 20:59

Rosberg at Silverstone in 1985 of course.

And it wasn't Keke's first banzai lap. Brands 1982, where he was on pole with a Cosworth, a second clear of the next Cossie, with a posse of turbos right behind him. Lot of testicular fortitude in Finland, methinks.

#16 marcoferrari

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 21:06

Felipe Massa and first Singa quali... He was some 7 tenths faster then Räikkonen, if I remember it properly... Or Michael Schumacher and his comeback at new Sepang circuit being almost a second faster then Irvine and over a second then both McLarens...

Edited by marcoferrari, 30 December 2010 - 21:09.

#17 rhukkas

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 21:20

Davidson did a great lap at Turkey a few moons ago.

Remember, a pole lap is rarely the best lap as cars can vary by seconds. Don't fool yourself into thinking otherwise, coz that's dumb.

#18 P123

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 21:22

Sorry, NeverScared, I might sound boring, but for me number one still is Senna´s Monaco 1988. If you read the book "Overdrive" by Clyde Brolin about the full background of the lap, it makes it even more spectacular.

Second: Gerhard Berger, Hockenheim 1997 after having missed the two races before, having been hospitalized and having lost his father in a plane crash.

Good choices. Very hard to pick just one though, especially with Senna. This is another spectacular Senna pole- the time he makes up in the final sector: Senna Pole Spa 91

Of recent times I would pick one the cameras completely missed- Montoya's pole lap from Monaco '02. 0.4s faster than the next best car, which is (surprisingly?) the largest gap a Monaco polesitter has had over the past 10 years.

#19 JonC

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 21:33

JPM's pole at Silverstone '02 was also pretty special - into the last minute or two he was P4 but a full 1s off the pole time (set by Rubens). He then went out for his final run, found over a second and stuck it on the pole. It's moments like this that subsequent qualifying formats have lost - the sheer bolt-from-the-blue/how the hell did he do that type stuff.

Edited by JonC, 30 December 2010 - 21:33.

#20 Kucki

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 21:37

Montoya bouncing off the walls taking Pole

Edited by Kucki, 30 December 2010 - 21:37.

#21 highdownforce

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 21:52

Ayrton Senna, Monaco 88.
http://www.trilulilu.../28d7cbd0d4ffa6
*** Sorry if the video is wrong, I can't watch it right now.

Anyway, here is the 1990's pole http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

And here, a favorite of mine , 1986 with a real Lotus.

Edited by highdownforce, 30 December 2010 - 21:58.

#22 Rob

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 21:54

Pierluigi Martini put a Minardi on the front row in Phoenix.

#23 skinnyman

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 22:05

M. Schumacher: Hungary 2005, Suzuka 1998, Monaco 1996
Massa: Malaysia and Singapore 2008

#24 wj_gibson

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 22:13

Mika Hakkinen, Imola 2000 - in which he gained 0.5 of a second in the final sector in order to convert a likely 2nd into a dominant pole. Given the restrictions inherent in the 2000-era cars, I thought that was a pretty sterling effort.

#25 blackonyx4

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 22:23

Jacques Villeneuve - Melbourne 1997

+1.754 in front of second fastest driver...Frentzen, his teammate at Willy.

#26 jimjimjeroo

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 22:30

Jarno Trulli Pole Lap Monaco 2004

Not a Jarno fan at all, but that lap was incredible!

#27 scheivlak

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 22:38

Mika Hakkinen, Imola 2000 - in which he gained 0.5 of a second in the final sector in order to convert a likely 2nd into a dominant pole. Given the restrictions inherent in the 2000-era cars, I thought that was a pretty sterling effort.

Well, if he was 0.5 seconds faster than anyone else in the final sector it can't be the greatest qualifying lap ever, as Coulthard was only 0.3 behind over the full Q lap http://forix.autospo...&r=20000003&c=3 so David was at least simply 0.2 seconds faster over the first two sectors

#28 Enkei

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 22:42

This isn't the fastest lap around Spa, but watching Kimi drive full speed into the smoke was truly breathtaking.

That was insane indeed. Kimi was crazy to keep it floored into the smoke. It was a thrill to see him drive hotlaps in a McLaren.
I wouldn't have mind seeing him drive for McLaren again last year, but too bad he switched to the evil reds. I guess he would fit in better at McLaren now the team is more open.

Don't mind having Button around either though

#29 Les

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 22:48

Jarno Trulli Pole Lap Monaco 2004

Jarno Trulli in his heyday could be awesome over a single lap, his pole around Monaco definitely being a case in point. Its a real shame he never could get his act together when it came to races.

#30 jimjimjeroo

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 23:07

What happened to Kimi!? Was it a case of been there done that... Once he had the WDC was that it? He could have quite easily been double if not triple WDC if it weren't for fragile McLarens!

Anyway BTTT

I think Jensons pole At Melbourne 2009 was pretty special, maybe not the greatest but definately special!

Or the fastest Lap in qualifying at the 1997 European Grand Prix, oh wait... Which one!?

Edited by jimjimjeroo, 30 December 2010 - 23:10.

#31 skinnyman

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 23:35

Or the fastest Lap in qualifying at the 1997 European Grand Prix, oh wait... Which one!?

Anyway MS was in slower car :wave:

#32 HopkinsonF1

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 23:39

This isn't the fastest lap around Spa, but watching Kimi drive full speed into the smoke was truly breathtaking.

Look at the speed he takes Pouhon at! Something about the camera angle capturing that corner is breathtaking.

#33 CSquared

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 23:49

This isn't the fastest lap around Spa, but watching Kimi drive full speed into the smoke was truly breathtaking.

It is a fantastic lap, but in my opinion the driving-into-the-smoke incident was really overhyped, as if no racing driver had ever taken a risk going into a blind or slippery corner before (see the 1991 pole lap link in this thread, for example). And if it had turned out badly with some unseen debris or car in the road, we'd all have been talking about what an idiot he was.

What I love about the lap is how he pushed his exits so hard, like :06, :49, :56.

Good choices. Very hard to pick just one though, especially with Senna. This is another spectacular Senna pole- the time he makes up in the final sector: Senna Pole Spa 91

Someone actually posted a racing video to youtube without ruining it with terrible music? Halle-freakin-lujah. Great sounds from that Honda V12. Senna in an MP4/6 at Spa comes close to about as great as F1 can possibly be, in my opinion.

The graphics are confusing, but someone on this forum explained a while ago that the time he beats by 1+ sec was his own previous time, so it's not as impressive as it initially appears. It's hard to tell that this is even the pole lap (what is 1:47.813?). I can't seem to find Prost's 2nd-slot time.

Anyway, here is the 1990's pole http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

That's not the 1990 pole lap. I know because I've watched the 1990 pole lap a couple hundred times. I can't find a decent clip of it right now, but there's one somewhere narrated by Jackie Stewart, taken from the ABC broadcast. Most of the clips of this lap on youtube are sped up and have terrible music. Don't ask me why they're sped up.

Pierluigi Martini put a Minardi on the front row in Phoenix.

And put it on the second row at Adelaide.

Great thread with great videos. It's ruined my productivity for the day.

#34 pingu666

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 23:54

couple of oval laps
helio's pole laps at this years indy500, faster than anyone had been all for along time, in the crap wagon with no draft. plus ofcourse the all time fastest by dfen? cant remmber where but was something like 250mph average or something crazy

#35 WonderboyF1

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 23:56

A personal favorite of mine, Hamilton Canada 2010

Just knowing the fact, that he is absloutley on the limit, the car on its lowest possible amount of fuel, fastest it can go, f-duct working perfect, flying down that back straight and of course the first man to break the Red Bull pole run, superb.

Anything from Raikkonen in 2005 could also be used, the man drove superbly that season.

#36 HopkinsonF1

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Posted 30 December 2010 - 23:58

Ayrton Senna, Monaco 88.
http://www.trilulilu.../28d7cbd0d4ffa6
*** Sorry if the video is wrong, I can't watch it right now.

That's 1989. You can tell from the engine note it's naturally aspirated (unlike the MP4/4), and likewise you can tell from the roll-hoop integrated into the airbox that it's the MP4/5.

Which is a shame, because I'd kill for footage of Senna's 1988 Monaco pole lap. I want to see what an out of body experience looks like!

#37 as65p

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Posted 31 December 2010 - 00:13

That's 1989. You can tell from the engine note it's naturally aspirated (unlike the MP4/4), and likewise you can tell from the roll-hoop integrated into the airbox that it's the MP4/5.

Which is a shame, because I'd kill for footage of Senna's 1988 Monaco pole lap. I want to see what an out of body experience looks like!

It's actually the 1990 lap and the MP4/5B, with the tunnel shot cut in later from 1991 showing the MP4/6 from that year.

I first saw the original footage in some 1990 review (not the one from Duke Video) and there it's only engine sound and the picture cutting out during the tunnel (as always at that time).

Sadly on the web there's mostly this heavily (and wrongly, as in showing the MP4/6 in the tunnel shot) edited version doing the rounds.

Edited by as65p, 31 December 2010 - 00:13.

#38 ashnathan

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Posted 31 December 2010 - 00:18

Hands down.

And the Finnish Commentary makes it THAT much better.

#39 Risil

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Posted 31 December 2010 - 00:20

couple of oval laps
helio's pole laps at this years indy500, faster than anyone had been all for along time, in the crap wagon with no draft. plus ofcourse the all time fastest by dfen? cant remmber where but was something like 250mph average or something crazy

Greg Moore's pole position lap at Homestead, 1998

Surely one of the most talked-about pole positions in CART's brief-ish history? Their Rosberg moment, if you will.

Edited by Risil, 31 December 2010 - 00:20.

#40 shaggy

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Posted 31 December 2010 - 00:21

What about Damon Hill, as defending Champion racing for Arrows, when in his last attempt he was able to make the field ?
I thought it was awesome.

#41 ashnathan

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Posted 31 December 2010 - 00:23

ps. and that mistake into variante alta makes his last sector all the more impressive.

God i miss the sound of that McLaren.

Edited by ashnathan, 31 December 2010 - 00:24.

#42 ashnathan

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Posted 31 December 2010 - 00:31

Another great Imola lap to claim pole. Kimi 2005

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

#43 ashnathan

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Posted 31 December 2010 - 00:34

Kimi Monaco 2005 Q1 lap. 5 tenths over Alonso's best effort.

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

#44 ashnathan

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Posted 31 December 2010 - 00:36

Kimi's first ever pole lap

No commentary, pure engine sounds and listen to the crowd roar as he crosses the line t otake pole on Mercedesd home turf!

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

Edited by ashnathan, 31 December 2010 - 00:37.

#45 ashnathan

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Posted 31 December 2010 - 00:41

Im sorry to keep posting haha but theres so many great laps by Kimi, probably one of the best of 2004 when he out qualifies the Ferrari's and Renaults at Silverstone to ake Pole after being .4 down after the first sector alone! Even Martin thinks he has no chance after the first sector.

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

#46 GSiebert

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Posted 31 December 2010 - 00:55

Those were the kind of laps he was never able to do at Ferrari. I really think the Mclarens suited him better.

#47 minardifans

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Posted 31 December 2010 - 01:00

Jarno Trulli Pole Lap Monaco 2004

I doubt this is the best quali lap of all time, but it sure is AWSOME! Breathtaking.

#48 alfa1

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Posted 31 December 2010 - 01:44

What is the greatest single qualifying lap ever?

There is no way of really knowing.
The only laps that people have talked about so far are the ones that got pole, by drivers in cars that were really good.
I suspect that there are also hundreds of better qualifying laps put in by drivers who had slower cars, and just simply didnt get the TV coverage of the ones that people remember.

It may be in fact that the best qualifying lap of all time only got the driver to 16th place (in a car expected to get 19th place).

#49 FSLIV

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Posted 31 December 2010 - 01:53

Lewis Hamilton qualifing Lap. Abu Dhabi. 2009. I would post a link but dont want FIA to take it down.

#50 RockyRaccoon68

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Posted 31 December 2010 - 02:04

I'm not really great at remembering Quali laps but I remember thinking Alonso Monza 07 was fantastic and Massa Singapore 08. Raikkonen Monaco 05 also stands out in my memory.

I don't remember seeing an exact quali lap but Alonso's driving at Singapore '09 in his Renault is something that I remember too, he seemed to be constantly on the edge of grip.

Hamilton Abu Dhabi '09 was fantastic from my memory too. Nothing really massive stands out in my memory this year, Hamilton in Canada and Alonso in Singapore are probably the two occasions where the driver really made a difference that stand out for me. Also Alonso in Italy really nailed the first lap and seemed to get everything from the car.

Greatest qualifying lap ever though I really haven't a clue, they are just a few that stick in my memory.

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The Greatest Qualifying Lap Ever?

#1 NeverScared

#2 Risil

#3 Crafty

#4 domhnall

#5 phil1993

#6 johnmhinds

#7 domhnall

#8 korzeniow

#9 Pink Snail

#10 kosmic33

#11 William Hunt

#12 aditya-now

#13 HAM

#14 F1ultimate

#15 ensign14

#16 marcoferrari

#17 rhukkas

#18 P123

#19 JonC

#20 Kucki

#21 highdownforce

#22 Rob

#23 skinnyman

#24 wj_gibson

#25 blackonyx4

#26 jimjimjeroo

#27 scheivlak

#28 Enkei

#29 Les

#30 jimjimjeroo

#31 skinnyman

#32 HopkinsonF1

#33 CSquared

#34 pingu666

#35 WonderboyF1

#36 HopkinsonF1

#37 as65p

#38 ashnathan

#39 Risil

#40 shaggy

#41 ashnathan

#42 ashnathan

#43 ashnathan

#44 ashnathan

#45 ashnathan

#46 GSiebert

#47 minardifans

#48 alfa1

#49 FSLIV

#50 RockyRaccoon68

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