DHL Fastest Lap Award

DHL Fastest Lap Award
SportMotorsport
CompetitionFormula One
Awarded for"to recognise the driver who most consistently demonstrates pure speed, with the fastest lap at the highest number of races each season"[1]
History
First winnerKimi Räikkönen (2007)
Most winsLewis Hamilton (6)
Most recentMax Verstappen (2023)

The DHL Fastest Lap Award is given annually by the courier, Formula One global partner and logistics provider DHL "to recognise the driver who most consistently demonstrates pure speed, with the fastest lap at the highest number of races each season",[1] and to reward the winning driver for "characteristics such as excellent performance, passion, can-do attitude, reliability and precision".[2] First awarded in 2007 by DHL,[3] the trophy's official naming patron,[4] it is presented to the driver with the highest number of fastest laps over the course of the season,[5] with one point awarded to the fastest lap holder of a Grand Prix.[6] In the event of a tie, there is a countback and the driver with the highest number of second-fastest laps earns the award. If this is also tied, third-fastest laps are considered, and so on, until a winner is found.[7] The trophy is presented to the winning driver at the final round of the season.[6][8]

The inaugural winner was the Ferrari driver Kimi Räikkönen with six fastest laps in 2007.[9] The award has been decided on a tiebreaker on four occasions. Räikkönen and his teammate Felipe Massa tied with six fastest laps and two-second-quickest laps in 2007 with the former winning by having more third-fastest laps than the latter.[7] In 2009, Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel and his teammate Mark Webber had three fastest laps at the end of the season but Vettel won with two more second-fastest laps than the latter.[10] Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso and McLaren's Lewis Hamilton each had five fastest laps in 2010 with Alonso finishing ahead with a higher number of second-best laps.[11] In 2021, both Hamilton and Red Bull's Max Verstappen set six fastest laps with Hamilton declared the winner for recording more second-fastest laps than Verstappen.[12]

British drivers have won the award six times, German drivers four times, and Finnish racers three times. Mercedes have won on seven occasions to Red Bull Racing's six and Ferrari's three. The 2023 recipient was Verstappen of the Red Bull Racing team with nine fastest laps, his second time winning the award after earning it the year before.[13][14]

  1. ^ a b "DHL Fastest Lap Award 2019". Sky Sports. 2 December 2019. Archived from the original on 1 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  2. ^ "Formula 1 Finale in Abu Dhabi: DHL Awards for Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull Racing". Targeted News Service. 2 December 2018. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2020 – via Gale OneFile: News.
  3. ^ Payne, Joanne (14 March 2007). "DHL to sponsor Formula 1's fastest laps trophy". Campaign. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  4. ^ "No pit stops for DHL in Formula 1". Post & Parcel. 3 April 2008. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  5. ^ La Selle, Rob (3 December 2019). "DHL-Trophäen für Lewis Hamilton und Red Bull Racing" [DHL trophies for Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull Racing] (in German). Speedweek. Archived from the original on 5 December 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  6. ^ a b "World Champion Vettel wins DHL Fastest Lap Award 2012". Daily FT. 18 December 2012. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Raikkonen wins DHL Fastest Lap Award". Formula One. 21 October 2007. Archived from the original on 23 October 2007. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  8. ^ D. Berto, Victor (25 November 2011). "Mark Webber recebe o prêmio DHL Fastest Lap Award 2011". Lance! (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2007Win was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2009VET was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2010ALO was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ "F1: Lewis Hamilton wins the DHL Fastest Lap Award after Abu Dhabi Grand Prix". Gulf News. 14 December 2021. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Weltmeister Max Verstappen Gewinnt Erstmals Den DHL Fastest Lap Award" [World Champion Max Verstappen Wins the DHL Fastest Lap Award for the First Time]. Motorsport XL (in German). 19 November 2022. Archived from the original on 21 November 2022. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2023Winner was invoked but never defined (see the help page).