Grand Slam F1

What is a Grand Slam F1?

A Grand Slam is an unofficial title awarded to a driver after a race weekend when he or she:

• Starts the race from pole position
• Leads every racing lap
• Sets the fastest lap time
• Wins the Grand Prix

In short, to achieve a Grand Slam, also known as a Grand Chelem, a driver must be extremely dominant in both qualifying and the race.

F1 Hat-trick

A Grand Slam in Formula 1 is often confused with a Hat-trick. That makes sense, since they do not differ much from each other. For a Hat-trick, the driver must meet the following conditions:

• Starting from pole position;
• Setting the fastest race lap;
• Winning the Grand Prix.

What is the difference between a Hat-trick and a Grand Slam?

The only difference between a Hat-trick and a Grand Slam is that scoring a Hat-trick does not require you to have been in the lead for all race laps.

So to make it easy: a Grand Slam is always a Hat-trick, but a Hat-trick is not yet a Grand Slam. Easy, right?

Drivers with a Grand Slam to their name

To this day, only 26 drivers have managed to secure a Grand Slam. The first Formula 1 driver to achieve this feat was Argentinean Juan Manuel Fangio during the 1950 Monaco Grand Prix. Max Verstappen most recently scored a Grand Slam during the Spanish Grand Prix in 2023.

F1 driver with the most Grand Slams

When it comes to the most Grand Slams, the record holder is British driver Jim Clark. This Scottish driver claimed the prestigious title a remarkable eight times in just three years.

Consecutive Grand Slams in Formula 1

Only Alberto Ascari, Jim Clark, and Sebastian Vettel have managed to score a Grand Slam in two consecutive race weekends. This occurred during the following events:

• German Grand Prix and Dutch Grand Prix (Ascari, 1952)
• Dutch Grand Prix and French Grand Prix (Clark, 1963)
• Singapore Grand Prix and Korean Grand Prix (Vettel, 2013).

Grand Slam

The Grand Slam is not only relevant in Formula 1. The term is used in numerous sports, including the Grand Slam of Darts, the Grand Slam in tennis, and the Grand Slam in baseball.