Definition of pole position

The term "pole position" originally came from the sport of horse racing. In the early days, races were started by hand and the horse that was able to start in the lead position, closest to the pole or starting point, had the advantage of running unobstructed for a few crucial moments. This advantage often gave the horse a better chance of winning the race. As automobile racing gained popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the concept of a pole position was adopted. In 1911, during the first-ever Indianapolis 500, Arthur Jones driving a Marmon, started in the lead position and became the first driver to win the race from the pole position. Since then, the term "pole position" has been used in motorsports to describe the starting position for a race, which is usually determined by a qualifying session where drivers compete to achieve the fastest lap time. The driver in the pole position has the advantage of starting the race first and not having to worry about maneuvering around slower cars or dealing with other starting grid bottlenecks.