Written by Lorenzo Baer, edited by Gabriel Tsui
Three current members of the “Slam Club”: Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen | Credit: F1
Formula One is a category defined by milestones and records: from who won the most titles in the category’s history, to who had the best percentage of points in a given season, to the driver with most starts under its belt, number of consecutive victories or podiums, etc.
There are so many figures and numbers that it’s difficult to choose one statistic that defines which is the most significant in determining who is the best driver of their time, or even in the whole history of F1. However, there is one record that can be considered a true milestone in a driver’s career, with the exception perhaps of the category’s own title, and holds true significance in the annals of the sport.
This is the “Gran Chelem”, popularly known as the Grand Slam, one of the most significant individual distinctions a driver can achieve in their paths in the sport. Simply put, a Grand Slam means when a driver starts from pole position, sets the fastest lap, leads every lap and wins the race, all during the same F1 weekend.
Since F1 inception in 1950, this feat has proven remarkably difficult. Of the 1,144 Grands Prix contested in series history up to the 2025 Singapore GP, only in 70 occasions has a driver achieved a Grand Slam, cumulating a success rate of just 6.1%.
The first Grand Slam captured for eternity: Juan Manuel Fangio poses with his trophy during the 1950 Monaco GP | Credit: La Stampa archive
Over the 75 years of the category, only 27 drivers have achieved at least one Grand Slam in their careers, with 18 of them becoming F1 World Champions at one point or another. Another interesting fact is that of the 27, just over half (14) accomplished multiple Grand Slams, demonstrating the difficulty even for these exceptional drivers in repeating the feat.
The driver who opened the “Slam count” in F1 history was five-time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio. In the category’s second official Grand Prix, the 1950 Monaco GP, ‘El Chueco’ led from start to finish the whole weekend, driving an Alfa-Romeo 158.
On the subject of Fangio, the Argentine ace also holds a curious record, remaining the holder of the longest time span between two Grand Slams: after his 1950 victory, he would only achieve a Slam again in 1956, during the German GP – a gap of almost six seasons between them.
But when it comes to “Slammers,” the driver who is most synonymous with the term is Jim Clark, who still holds the record of the most achievements of this type, with an incredible grand total of eight: one in the 1962 season, three in 1963, another one in 1964, and three more Gran Chelens in 1965.
This record takes on even more impressive proportions if we take into account the short span of four seasons used by the driver to set his Slams, as the following drivers on the list with the most records are Lewis Hamilton, with six Slams in 19 seasons, and Max Verstappen, also with six but in 12 seasons.
Alberto Ascari was the first driver to set multiple Grand Slams in F1, with three such feats achieved in 1952 | Credit: F1
The “Flying Scotsman” also appears in another record-breaking statistic, with the most Grand Slams attained in a single season. Clark could theoretically top this list twice, due to his trebles in 1963 (Netherlands, France and Mexico) and 1965 (South Africa, France and Germany).
However, two other drivers came close to owning the top spot in this category, with Lewis Hamilton and Antonio Ascari also having three Slams in a single season in their crowns. The Englishman achieved the feat in 2017 (snatching Slams in the Chinese, Canadian and the British GPs), while the Italian did it all the way back in 1952 (during the Grands Prix of France, Germany and the Netherlands).
In terms of nations, the United Kingdom easily leads the pack, with seven drivers of that nationality having won at least one Slam: in addition to the aforementioned Clark and Hamilton, Jackie Stewart (4), Nigel Mansell (4), Damon Hill (1), Mike Hathworn (1) and Stirling Moss (1) are also in the record-breaking pool.
Even though it’s been 60 years since his last Grand Slam, Jim Clark still leads the rankings of this class of achievements in F1 | Credit: Classic Team Lotus
However, there are other curious stats about the Grand Slam. Let’s start with the fact that only two drivers in F1 history achieved their first Grand Slam on the same day as their first victory in the category – and, interestingly, both were Brazilian. They were Ayrton Senna (1985 Portuguese GP) and Nelson Piquet (1980 USA West GP).
Three-time champion Niki Lauda achieved only one Grand Slam throughout his successful career, in a season in which he didn’t even win the championship. This occurred in the fascinating 1976 season, during the Belgian GP held at the unique Zolder circuit.
The decade with the most Grand Slams is the 2010s, with 13 records of this type. The drivers responsible for these triumphs were Lewis Hamilton (6), Sebastian Vettel (4), Nico Rosberg (2) and Fernando Alonso (1). Both the 1990s and the 1960s are tied down in second, with 11 Grand Slams each.
Another interesting fact about the “Slam Club” belongs to Jack Brabham, three-time F1 champion in the 1959, 1960, and 1966 seasons. In addition to these titles, the driver also has two Grand Slams under his belt, one won at the 1960 Belgian GP and the other at the 1966 British GP. The latter was certainly the most significant, as it made Brabham the only driver to win a Slam while driving a car of his own creation.
Three Slam holders in one photo: Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell. Interestingly Alain Prost, also pictured here, never added a Grand Slam to his collection of achievements | Credit: Fernando Quevedo
However, while it may seem that most of the names dominating the Grand Slams are from F1’s distant past, the current generation is also a strong force in the industry, as in the last 10 years, 15 Grand Slams have been recorded in F1, conquered by a plethora of drivers.
Of the 20 drivers who lined up for the start of the 2025 F1 season, four had already won at least one Slam in their careers: Lewis Hamilton (6), Max Verstappen (6), Fernando Alonso (1) and Charles Leclerc (1). Oscar Piastri became the newest member of this group after the Dutch Grand Prix, sweeping the weekend with a stunning performance at Zandvoort.
However, with so many more races still to come throughout 2025 and the seasons beyond, it’s no surprise that the “Slam Club” will welcome new members in a not-so-distant future.