FIA tweaks F1 qualifying format to accommodate 22-car field

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Formula 1 is set for a slightly bigger stage in 2026, and the FIA has responded with small but meaningful tweaks to the sport’s qualifying sessions.

With Cadillac officially joining the grid, the field will expand to 22 cars – two more than the Grand Prix racing’s traditional lineup – prompting adjustments to Q1 and Q2 while keeping the thrilling 10-car shootout in Q3 intact.

The sport’s familiar three-part knockout qualifying structure remains in place, with each segment retaining its timed format: Q1 runs for 18 minutes, followed by a seven-minute break; Q2 lasts 15 minutes with another seven-minute pause; and Q3 is set at 12 minutes with an eight-minute interval.

What’s new, however, is how many drivers are eliminated in the first two segments.

According to the FIA’s 2026 sporting regulations, the standard procedures were “based upon twenty (20) Cars being officially eligible,” but a scaling clause accounts for the larger grid: “If twenty-two (22) Cars are eligible six (6) will be eliminated after Q1 and Q2.”

In practice, this means that with 22 cars, six drivers will be knocked out in both Q1 and Q2, funneling the top 10 competitors into Q3 for the traditional pole position battle.

Sprint Qualifying Follows Suit

Sprint qualifying will follow the same principle, albeit with shorter sessions: SQ1 will last 12 minutes, SQ2 10 minutes, and SQ3 just 8 minutes.

Despite the increase in cars, the essence of qualifying remains unchanged. Drivers will still fight tooth and nail to reach the top 10, ensuring Q3 maintains its high-stakes intensity.

The adjustments reflect the sport’s expansion while keeping the familiar rhythm that fans have come to know, promising another season of thrilling, strategic qualifying battles.

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Michael Delaney