FIA confirms new F1 qualifying regulations

Formula One’s governing body, the FIA, has officially confirmed the introduction of the new elimination-style qualifying format from the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

The overhaul was first devised following crucial meetings of the Strategy Group and F1 commission in Geneva last month.

However, commercial rights boss Bernie Ecclestone then revealed the necessary timing software would not be ready until the Spanish Grand Prix at least. Following some uncertainty, the radical changes were approved by the World Motor Sport Council [WMSC] last Friday, with the FIA making them official in its updated 2016 sporting regulations.

Outlined in Article 33, the new qualifying rules read as follows:

a) From 14.00 to 14.16 (Q1) all cars will be permitted on the track. Seven minutes after the start of the session the driver last in the classification will be eliminated and will no longer be timed, he must then return to the pit lane and may take no further part in the qualifying practice session.

The same procedure will then apply after 8m30s, 10m0s, 11m30s, 13m0s and 14m30s leaving sixteen cars eligible to continue. At the end of the session all drivers on the track may complete the lap they are on and, once these final laps have been completed, the driver last in the classification may take no further part in the qualifying practice session.

Lap times achieved by the fifteen remaining cars will then be deleted.

b) From 14.24 to 14.39 (Q2) the fifteen remaining cars will be permitted on the track. Six minutes after the start of the session the driver last in the classification will be eliminated and will no longer be timed, he must then return to the pit lane and may take no further part in the qualifying practice session.

The same procedure will then apply after 7m30s, 9m0s, 10m30s, 12m0s and 13m30s leaving nine cars eligible to continue. At the end of the session all drivers on the track may complete the lap they are on and, once these final laps have been completed, the driver last in the classification may take no further part in the qualifying practice session.

Lap times achieved by the eight remaining cars will then be deleted.

c) From 14.46 to 15.00 (Q3) the eight remaining cars will be permitted on the track. Five minutes after the start of the session the driver last in the classification will be eliminated and will no longer be timed, he must then return to the pit lane and may take no further part in the qualifying practice session.

The same procedure will then apply after 6m30s, 8m0s, 9m30s, 11m0s and 12m30s leaving two cars eligible to continue. At the end of the session any driver on the track may complete the lap he is on and, once any final lap has been completed, the overall classification will be established.

The new format has undeniably created a stir amongst teams, drivers and fans, but reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton thinks the system should be given the benefit of the doubt. Meanwhile, Force India’s Otmar Szafnauer told F1i he did not expect the late tweaks to be a big challenge for teams to have to deal with.

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