Fastest F1 Record Lap Times at Different Circuits

While winning an entire Grand Prix in F1 racing is the cream of the crop, you can’t ignore the skill and precision drivers need to set some of the fastest lap times around the circuit during a competitive race. Achieving the fastest lap time in a race certainly means your pace is good, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll win the race or have the fastest race time, although it’s still a good gauge to determine what drivers understand the track the best.

In this article, we outlined five of the fastest lap times around popular tracks during a Grand Prix (in no particular order), including when they were achieved, who set the record and how fast the lap time was.

Albert Park Circuit, Australia – Charles Leclerc, 1:19.813

Starting the list of some of the fastest recorded F1 lap times exclusively during a Grand Prix is Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who set the quickest lap time in the Australian Grand Prix.

The Monegasque driver recorded a 1:19.813 lap time at the famous Albert Park Circuit on March 24, 2024, although despite his speed on the track, he would finish 2nd place behind Carlos Sainz Jr. by 2.366 seconds. The fastest qualifying lap for this circuit wasn’t even close (Max Verstappen – 1:115.915 in 2024), meaning Charles Leclerc set a tough record to beat for future drivers competing in the Australian Grand Prix.

Suzuka, Japan – Andrea Kimi Antonelli, 1:30.965

Next, we have Andrea Kimi Antonelli, a young 18-year-old Italian F1 driver who took over the fastest lap time during the Japan Grand Prix on April 6, 2025.

While blasting through the Suzuka Circuit, Mercedes’s Antonelli recorded an impressive 1:30.965 lap time, although he only finished in 6th place behind 1st place Max Verstappen by 18.671 seconds. Despite the youngster setting the fastest recorded lap time in Japan during the actual Grand Prix, Max Verstappen blew that lap time out of the water during qualifying with a crazy 1:26.983 lap time.

Shanghai International Circuit, China – Michael Schumacher, 1:32.238

The Shanghai-based track in China is beloved amongst many modern racers in the sport, and while there have been plenty of years to take the fastest lap time record during the Chinese Grand Prix, Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher still holds the record lap time of 1:32.238 since September 26, 2004.

Despite the Swiss driver setting an impeccable record still held to this day, he finished in 12th place, getting lapped by 1st place teammate Rubens Barrichello with a time of 1:29:120.40 Although it’s been over 20 years since someone set a new Chinese Grand Prix lap record, Oscar Piastri showed promise in the 2025 qualifying after recording a 1:30.641 lap time, which would have been a new record had it been during the actual race.

Silverstone Circuit, U.K. – Max Verstappen, 1:27.097

Taking home the fastest modern lap time from Britain’s famed Silverstone Circuit during the British Grand Prix is none other than Red Bull’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen, recording an impressive lap time of 1:27.097 in August 2020.

Interestingly, though, Verstappen would finish second place in the race behind Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton by 5.856 seconds that year, and despite the Dutchman posting an incredible unbeaten lap time record at the famous English track, Lewis Hamilton would post an even faster lap record of 1:24.303 during qualifying the previous day.

Circuit de Monte Carlo, Monaco – Lewis Hamilton, 1:12.909

Wrapping up the list of fastest F1 lap times on record during a Grand Prix is arguably the most famous circuit of all, the Circuit de Monte Carlo in Monaco, France, where British Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton recorded the fastest 1:12.909 lap time to date.

Hamilton has held this record since May 23, 2021, whereby the end of the Monaco Grand Prix he finished in 7th place behind 1st place Max Verstappen by a whopping 68.231 seconds. Not only would Hamilton record the fastest lap time during the Monaco Grand Prix in 2021, but he set an even faster lap time of 1:10.116 two years earlier during qualifying, proving that he understands the track better than anyone, and will likely hold the record for a while as the track is not an easy one to drive.