F1 pole positions
Polesitters
| # | Grand Prix | Circuit | Driver | Constructor | Race | Pole margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazil | Jacarepagua | (BRA) Ayrton Senna | Lotus-Renault | 2 | 0.765s |
| 2 | Spain | Jerez | (BRA) Ayrton Senna | Lotus-Renault | 1 | 0.826s |
| 3 | San Marino | Imola | (BRA) Ayrton Senna | Lotus-Renault | DNF | 0.519s |
| 4 | Monaco | Monte Carlo | (FRA) Alain Prost | McLaren-TAG | 1 | 0.420s |
| 5 | Belgium | Spa-Francorchamps | (BRA) Nelson Piquet | Williams-Honda | DNF | 0.137s |
| 6 | Canada | Montreal | (GBR) Nigel Mansell | Williams-Honda | 1 | 0.070s |
| 7 | Detroit | Detroit | (BRA) Ayrton Senna | Lotus-Renault | 1 | 0.538s |
| 8 | France | Le Castellet | (BRA) Ayrton Senna | Lotus-Renault | DNF | 0.229s |
| 9 | Britain | Brands Hatch | (BRA) Nelson Piquet | Williams-Honda | 2 | 0.438s |
| 10 | Germany | Hockenheim | (FIN) Keke Rosberg | McLaren-TAG | 5R | 0.153s |
| 11 | Hungary | Hungaroring | (BRA) Ayrton Senna | Lotus-Renault | 2 | 0.335s |
| 12 | Austria | Osterreichring | (ITA) Teo Fabi | Benetton-BMW | DNF | 0.194s |
| 13 | Italy | Monza | (ITA) Teo Fabi | Benetton-BMW | DNF | 0.436s |
| 14 | Portugal | Estoril | (BRA) Ayrton Senna | Lotus-Renault | 4 | 0.816s |
| 15 | Mexico | Mexico City | (BRA) Ayrton Senna | Lotus-Renault | 3 | 0.289s |
| 16 | Australia | Adelaide | (GBR) Nigel Mansell | Williams-Honda | DNF | 0.311s |
- First pole position (drivers)
- No driver took their first pole position in 1986
- Last pole position (drivers)
- Teo Fabi
- Keke Rosberg
- First pole position (constructors)
- Benetton
- Last pole position (constructors)
- No constructor took their last pole position in 1986
- Last pole position until…
- 1988 for Alain Prost and McLaren
- 1994 for Benetton
- Last pole position by a…
- French driver until 1988
- Italian driver until 1989
- Finnish driver until 1997