F1 fastest lap: Which drivers have won the most fastest lap points in F1 2023?

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Fastest lap award winner Zhou Guanyu in action at the FIA F1 Bahrain Grand Prix. March 2023

Zhou Guanyu in action at the Bahrain Grand Prix. March 2023

Reintroduced in 2019, F1 drivers that finish in the top 10 of a race can earn an extra point by clinching the fastest lap of the Grand Prix.

This has helped bring added spice to the closing stages of Grand Prix, as teams try to take precious points off each other in the fight for the World Championship titles.

Max Verstappen recorded the most fastest laps during F1 2022 with his five to his name, and you can view the complete 2022 list right here. Keep scrolling for the 2023 results as the season unfolds…

Bahrain Grand Prix fastest lap

[Zhou Guanyu – 1:33.996]

The first fastest lap award of the season went to an unlikely source in the form of Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu as the 2023 campaign got underway with the Bahrain Grand Prix.

But, because Zhou finished all the way down in P16, he did not bag himself an extra point as that reward is only reserved for drivers who finish in the top 10 of the standings.

However, it was more than just a glory run for Zhou, whose fastest lap actually took an extra point away from Pierre Gasly in the Alpine, set to be one Alfa Romeo’s main midfield rivals this season. Gasly still picked up two points though having recovered  from a P20 start to a P9 finish.

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix fastest lap

[Max Verstappen – 1:31.906]

Come the second round of F1 2023 it was Verstappen putting his first fastest lap of the season on the board.

Starting the Saudi Arabian GP from P15 after a driveshaft failure in Q2, Verstappen made progress through the pack, as expected, but was given a big helping hand in the form of a Safety Car, allowing him to make his first pit stop and run P4 for the restart.

Verstappen very quickly improved to P2 behind team-mate Sergio Perez, but unable to reel him in, he went on to set a new fastest lap, something which Red Bull told him they were not interested in, on his final tour of the circuit.

Australian Grand Prix fastest lap

[Sergio Perez – 1:20.235]

Perez swept up both driver of the day and the fastest lap bonus point in Melbourne as he kept calm in the chaos to move from the back of the grid to P5.

The Mexican made short work in moving up to the grid, mixing the speed of the RB19 with an aggressive overtaking style, and with a race that was predicted to be a one-stopper, there were plenty of opportunities for fresh rubber.

Perez duly set the quickest time around the track in lap 53, little did he know there was plenty of drama left to come.

Azerbaijan Grand Prix fastest lap

[George Russell – 1:43.370]

Running P8 as the Azerbaijan GP marched towards a conclusion, and more than a pit stop ahead of Alpine’s Esteban Ocon behind, Mercedes driver Russell had nothing to lose and so would pit on the penultimate lap for a set of soft tyres, chasing the fastest lap and a bonus point.

And it was a mission which he was successful in, clocking a 1:43.370 to claim his first fastest lap award of the F1 2023 campaign.

Miami Grand Prix fastest lap

[Max Verstappen – 1:29.708]

It was a Miami masterclass from Verstappen who used the alternate strategy, starting on hard tyres and moving to mediums, to go from P9 on the grid to victory, his route to the chequered flag including a pass on Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez to secure the win.

And Verstappen made sure to take the full 26 points away from Miami by clocking the fastest lap of the pace on his penultimate tour of the Miami International Autodrome, a 1:29.708.

Monaco Grand Prix fastest lap

[Lewis Hamilton – 1:15.650]

In a race that had looked as though it was becoming processional, Mercedes opted to pit Lewis Hamilton to prompt an undercut – and that’s when he set the fastest lap of the race around Monaco, earning his first bonus point of the season.

His 1:15.650 saw him able to close right up behind Carlos Sainz for Ferrari at the time when he eventually pitted, but the undercut was ultimately unsuccessful for Mercedes at the time.

Rain later in the race caused the field to all switch onto intermediate and wet tyres, meaning lap times slowed down and Hamilton’s benchmark would not be beaten later on.

Spanish Grand Prix fastest lap

[Max Verstappen – 1:16.330]

The fastest lap for Max Verstappen during the Spanish Grand Prix completed a Grand Chelem for the race weekend for the reigning World Champion – with him having taken pole, led every lap, won the race and stolen the fastest lap point away from team-mate Sergio Perez five laps from the end.

He had only needed to manage his pace for much of the race with a comfortable lead throughout, but despite having been shown a black-and-white flag for track limits, that did not stop Verstappen from gaining the extra point towards the end anyway against the orders of his race engineer, the cheeky so-and-so.

Canadian Grand Prix fastest lap

[Sergio Perez – 1:14.481]

For Perez, though, the fastest lap will provide only a small comfort to him after losing even more ground in the World Championship title race against Max Verstappen, who recorded Red Bull’s 100th win in Formula 1 and personally equalled the win record of the late, great Ayrton Senna.

Austrian Grand Prix fastest lap

[Max Verstappen – 1:07.012]

Verstappen already had the Austria win pretty much secured, over 20 seconds up the road from Charles Leclerc, but he decided to use that buffer as insurance to make a late pit stop for soft tyres and chase the fastest lap bonus point.

Red Bull, initially hesitant, would ultimately oblige, completing a perfect stop as Verstappen then did his part with a 1:07.012 on his final tour of the Red Bull Ring to the chequered flag.

British Grand Prix fastest lap

[Max Verstappen – 1:30.275]

Another race, another fastest lap point for the mighty Max Verstappen after yet another dominant victory, a win which bagged Red Bull their first win at Silverstone in over a decade.

There was no last lap drama from Verstappen this time. The Dutchman set the fastest lap as early as lap 42 with a 1:30.275.

Hungarian Grand Prix fastest lap

[Max Verstappen – 1:20.504]

Strike up another dominant victory and fastest lap bonus point for Verstappen, who secured Red Bull’s record-breaking 12th win in a row and ensured that he left the Hungaroring with the maximum 26 points.

His 1:20.504, set on Lap 53, was 1.5 seconds faster at the time than what any other driver in the race had managed!

Belgian Grand Prix fastest lap

[Lewis Hamilton – 1:47.305]

Running P4 in Belgium and without a realistic chance of dumping Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc off the podium, Hamilton pitted on the penultimate lap of the Belgian GP for a new set of medium tyres as he went for the fastest lap and bonus point.

And he was successful, clocking a 1:47.305 to snatch that honour from dominant race winner Verstappen.

Dutch Grand Prix fastest lap

[Fernando Alonso – 1:13.837]

Fernando Alonso surged back to form upon F1’s return to racing after the summer break at the Dutch Grand Prix, marking a wonderful P2 finish behind Max Verstappen with the fastest lap of the race.

He set a 1:13.837 which was a mere 0.050s quicker than the dominant Red Bull driver.

Italian Grand Prix fastest lap

[Oscar Piastri – 1:25.072]

Having required a new front wing following a collision with Lewis Hamilton, Piastri put his fresh tyres to use by snatching the fastest lap of the Italian Grand Prix, clocking a 1:25.072.

As he finished the race P12, it sadly meant no bonus point for the McLaren racer.

Singapore Grand Prix fastest lap

[Lewis Hamilton – 1:35.867]

After a Virtual Safety Car in Singapore, both Mercedes drivers opted to pit for new mediums in the final stint and were comfortably the fastest drivers on track.

Both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell traded fastest lap times as they reeled in the leaders in but it was the seven-time World Champion who earned the bonus point around a reconfigured Marina Bay.

Japanese Grand Prix fastest lap

[Max Verstappen – 1:34.183]

It was all plain sailing for Max Verstappen after his winning run was rudely interrupted in Singapore, clocking a lap around a second quicker than the McLaren drivers could manage behind – and they finished on the podium.

Verstappen’s victory with the bonus point helped wrap up the Constructors’ Championship in fine style for Red Bull in Japan, and he opened up the possibility of sealing his third Drivers’ crown in the following round at Qatar.

Qatar Grand Prix fastest lap

[Max Verstappen – 1:24.319]

Max Verstappen made it back-to-back fastest laps in another classy display at the wheel of the Red Bull RB19.

The win was never under threat as Verstappen took the chequered flag in Qatar, making it the perfect 26 points with a fastest lap of the race of a 1:24.319.

United States Grand Prix fastest lap

[Yuki Tsunoda – 1:38.139]

A first fastest lap of Yuki Tsunoda’s career as he pitted late on for a fresh pair of softs.

On the fresh rubber, he duly put in a time of 1:38.139 and taking the fastest lap away from his team-mate Daniel Ricciardo.

Mexico City Grand Prix fastest lap

[Lewis Hamilton – 1:21.334]

Having been on mediums for the second half of the race, Lewis Hamilton worried that his tyres would not make the end, but with a turn up of engine mode and enough performance in the bank on the final lap, he was able to steal the bonus point for fastest lap away from Max Verstappen on lap 71 in Mexico City.

Sao Paulo Grand Prix fastest lap

[Lando Norris – 1:12.486]

While Norris could not topple race winner Max Verstappen, he did everything else, taking P2, the Driver of the Day award and a bonus point for setting the fastest lap of the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Armed with the soft rubber, Norris delivered a 1:12.486 to ensure that he boosted his collection of points to 19.

Las Vegas Grand Prix fastest lap

[Oscar Piastri – 1:35.490]

Staying out as late as possible in the hope of a late Safety Car that didn’t come, Oscar Piastri pitted late on in the Las Vegas Grand Prix for medium tyres and clawed back huge amounts of time.

His 1:35.490 was the quickest lap of a frenetic race around Las Vegas, in which he was able to rescue a point and a bonus point for his troubles.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix fastest lap

[Max Verstappen – 1:26.993]

Verstappen crowned a season of utter dominance in the perfect fashion, setting the fastest lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to go with his 19th win of the campaign.

After an early challenge from Charles Leclerc, Verstappen was out of reach from there, his 1:26.993 setting the ultimate pace of race day at Yas Marina Circuit.