F1 drivers who secured pole with teams outside the top 3 in the last decade

The 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix will be remembered for two reasons: George Russell taking his maiden Formula 1 victory, and Kevin Magnussen registering his first pole position. But it is Magnussen's pole that is today's focus.

Why? Because he became only the fifth driver in ten years to secure the position in a car that is nowhere near the top teams' level.

Of course, the rain and poor track conditions helped cement his and Haas' first pole in F1, but such is the nature of the sport. The unexpected can happen at any moment, and if you are not there to capitalise, it could be over before you know it.

This is what happened to Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in the same qualifying session, but Magnussen… he set his pole time at the right moment.

Poles from a team outside the top 3

F1 is often dominated by one team, sometimes two or three. 2022 has been all about Red Bull and Ferrari, but Mercedes-AMG asserted itself in the mix in the season's latter stages. All three teams started a race from the front of the grid at some point this year, bar one: Brazil.

That honour, as already expressed, went to Magnussen.

Before the Haas driver got the pole in the lowest-ranking car heading into 2022, Lando Norris started the 2021 Russian GP from the front. The McLaren ace was on course for the win, but the decision to stay out on the slick tyre in rainy conditions prevented him from winning on the day. McLaren ended 2020 in third place, but slipped to fourth in 2021

Lance Stroll put his Racing Point (fourth-quickest car) on pole in Turkey in 2020, and Felipe Massa did it for Williams at the Austrian GP in 2014. The Williams team ended the 2013 season in ninth place, but they showed strong performance throughout 2014 to end the season in third behind