Categories: 2016 SeasonF1 News, Reports and Race Results

Elimination-style qualifying to be introduced in 2016

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The 2016 season will see a new elimination-style qualifying format introduced in F1.

The new format retains a similar approach to the current knockout qualifying system, with three sessions - Q1, Q2 and Q3 - during which cars drop out. However, after an initial period of each session the slowest driver will be eliminated. From there, the slowest driver will be eliminated every 90 seconds.

In Q1, the session is set to be 16 minutes long and the first driver will drop out after seven minutes, meaning seven drivers will be eliminated. A 15-minute Q2 session will see another seven drivers drop out - starting from six minutes in to the session - leaving eight cars to progress to the final part of qualifying.

In Q3, the session will be 14 minutes long and from five minutes in the slowest driver will drop out every 90 seconds until two cars are left on track for the final 90-second fight for pole position.

The new qualifying regulations receiving unanimous approval in the F1 Commission meeting in Geneva on Tuesday, meaning they can be introduced immediately for the start of the 2016 season.

Final confirmation from the FIA of when the regulations will come in to effect is expected on Wednesday morning.

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.