'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Anything can happen in Formula 1, and we've seen plenty of surprises over the years - new race winners, rookie champions and even more.
Taking pole positon is something not many drivers are able to do, so it's thrilling to see someone rise from nowhere to start at the front of the pack for a Grand Prix.
In this piece, we take a look at five of the most unexpected pole positons in the hybrid era.
Nico Hulkenberg - Brazil 2010
It feels a long time ago since Nico Hulkenberg's rookie season in F1, with the German veteran now 233 races down. At the 2010 Brazillian Grand Prix, a fresh-faced Hulkenberg showed what he was all about, with skill on display to take pole at a drying Interlagos.
Trending
The session started in the wet, and by the time Q3 came, slick tyres began to come onto the cars. But Hulkenberg suddenly entered a league of his own going into the final run of the session.
His time to take pole was a whole second quicker than the rest of the field, a massive time difference for his first and still his only pole in the pinnacle of motorsport.
Hulkenberg may have finished P8 in the race, but that takes nothing away from an exceptional lap that went down in history.
Nico Rosberg - China 2012
Mercedes taking a pole position in the hybrid era is probably the least surprising thing on this list. But Nico Rosberg's skilful lap at Shangai was one of the biggest surprises of the season.
The Silver Arrows endured a poor start to the 2012 season, with Rosberg failing to score points in the opening two rounds while his teammate Michael Schumacher picked up a point, leaving the Brackley based squad miles off the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari.
The team secured a one-two on the grid in China, something that shocked many of their competitors, with Rosberg starting ahead of his teammate on pole position. It was a big moment for the German, who eventually went on to become a world champion in 2016 before retiring from the sport.
Lance Stroll - Turkey 2021
In one of the most unpredictable qualifying sessions in recent F1 history, Lance Stroll claimed a stunning pole position at the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix - his first in F1 and a moment few saw coming.
Driving for Racing Point - now Aston Martin - Stroll mastered the tricky conditions at a newly resurfaced Istanbul Park circuit. The combination of cold temperatures, low-grip tarmac and heavy rain created chaos throughout the qualifying hour, leveling the playing field and punishing even the best cars and drivers for the smallest of mistakes.
In Q3, many struggled to generate tire temperature or were spinning off, but he kept his composure and nailed a crucial lap on intermediate tires, just enough to beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who had dominated the earlier sessions.
Stroll, in the process, become the first Canadian driver to take pole positon since Jacques Villeneuve in 1997 with a truly memorable lap.
Kevin Magnussen - Brazil 2022
Kevin Magnussen taking pole position at the 2022 Brazillian Grand Prix is one of the biggest upsets in recent F1 history.
A first time pole for the veteran was a brilliant moment on his return to the sport for Haas. It was a tough year for the team despite a strong start to the campaign, having to settle for a battle to secure P8 in the championship.
Although Magnussen was helped by Russell hitting the barriers in the tricky and worsening conditions at Interlagos, it was an excellent effort from Magnussen and a great moment for the team.
Kimi Antonelli - Miami 2025 (Sprint)
The most recent entry on the list is Kimi Antonelli's maiden Sprint pole at the Miami International Autodrome.
The young Italian's lap in Sprint Qualifying made him the youngest pole sitter in any format, beating off the dominant McLaren car to start at the front of the field.
It was an exciting performance from Antonelli and the first time he had beaten teammate Russell in qualifying. But it was also a big moment as Antonelli provided a glimpse of the huge potential Toto Wolff believes he has.
