FIA confirms minor change to 2026 qualifying format

The fine margins of Formula 1 rarely leave room for spare seconds – yet this season, the FIA has decided to add exactly one minute where it matters most.

In a subtle but notable tweak to the sporting regulations, the sport’s governing body has confirmed that the final segment of qualifying, Q3, will now run for 13 minutes instead of the traditional 12.

On paper, it’s a minor adjustment. In practice, it could slightly reshape the rhythm of Saturday afternoons.

The change comes as the grid expands to 22 cars following the arrival of Cadillac as an 11th team. With a larger field to manage, qualifying has already been reshuffled to accommodate the additional entries.

Under the revised format, six drivers – rather than five – will now be eliminated at the end of both Q1 and Q2. That ensures the final pole-position shootout still features 10 cars, preserving the established spectacle at the sharp end.

But it is Q3 itself that has gained breathing room.

A Longer Shootout – But Tighter Turnaround

While the decisive segment has been extended to 13 minutes of on-track action, the interval between Q2 and Q3 has been trimmed from eight minutes to seven. In effect, teams are being handed an extra minute to set lap times – but one less minute to prepare for the final dash.

The FIA hasn’t provided a comprehensive explanation for the tweak. However, it comes after several high-profile qualifying sessions in recent years where drivers have narrowly failed to cross the timing line before the chequered flag, missing the opportunity to start a final flying lap.

Whether an additional 60 seconds will meaningfully change those scenarios remains to be seen. In many cases, the dramatic last-gasp scrambles were the result of tactical positioning – teams deliberately releasing their drivers as late as possible to gain track advantage and slipstream benefits – rather than the clock simply running out.

There is also the possibility that the change may have minimal competitive impact. Given tyre preparation demands and out-lap build-up, squeezing in a third genuine push lap in Q3 is still highly unlikely, even with the extended session time.

• Read also: F1 scraps farcical two-stop rule for 2026 Monaco GP

The first test of the new format will come at next week’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday, March 7 at 4pm local time (4am GMT – 6am CET), marking the first opportunity to see whether the expanded grid and extended Q3 deliver a smoother spectacle – or simply prolong the tension.

One minute may not sound like much. But in Formula 1, history has shown that 60 seconds can in some cases feel like an eternity.

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