How many pole positions has Charles Leclerc achieved in Formula 1?

The first pole position

Leclerc's run of pole positions all started at the 2019 Bahrain Grand Prix. At the same event, Leclerc achieved his first podium result and first fastest lap. In just his second qualifying session for Ferrari, Leclerc proved his worth. Leclerc got the better of his four-time World Champion teammate Sebastian Vettel. He might have lost the lead early but worked his way back to the front. The young driver then took control of the race, only to experience engine problems later on. The win fell through his fingers, but the podium was saved by a late safety car. 

Leclerc added six more pole positions to the list in 2019 but ran dry during Ferrari's turbulent 2020 season. Leclerc managed to get a pole position in his home city at the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix, but he didn't start the race due to a gearbox problem. That was caused by a crash in qualifying. Leclerc has since proven that Ferrari have a brilliant qualifying car following the 2022 regulation changes. He became the first Las Vegas pole sitter since the 1980s. 

Converting pole to win

Only Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have more pole positions than Leclerc. In fact, two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso has fewer pole positions than Leclerc. But Leclerc has only won six Grands Prix. 80% of the time, Leclerc has failed to win from pole. However, a lot of this is because Ferrari struggles in race pace compared to Red Bull. However, the Monegasque driver was able to convert his latest pole position into victory at his home race, and he will be looking to continue that as he challenges for the 2024 World Drivers' Championship.

Record list for pole positions in F1

Leclerc's number of poles means he currently sits 12th in the all-time rankings, but he will be hoping to break into the top ten by the end of 2024 and try to catch up with Verstappen. The three-time World Champion is already in the top five in the rankings for the number of victories, and now the Dutchman is in 5th place when it comes to pole positions.

However, the RB20 in 2024 has faced some adversity in Imola and Monaco. But even with those issues, he will be looking to catch Sebastian Vettel (57), Ayrton Senna (65), Michael Schumacher (68) and Lewis Hamilton (104).