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How Racing Qualifying Works: Q1, Q2, Q3 and the Starting Grid

How Formula 1 qualifying sets the grid under the FIA's 2026 rules: Q1, Q2 and Q3 timings, who is knocked out, the 107% rule, sprint qualifying and tie-breaks.

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Key takeaways

  • With 22 cars, F1 qualifying is a knockout: 18 minutes of Q1, 15 of Q2 and 13 of Q3, with seven-minute breaks.
  • The slowest six are eliminated after Q1 and after Q2, leaving ten to fight for pole in Q3.
  • Times are wiped between stages; positions 11 to 16 come from Q2 times and 17 to 22 from Q1.
  • A driver eliminated in Q1 more than 107% off the fastest Q1 time is unclassified, unless the track is declared wet, and needs the stewards' permission to race.
  • Identical lap times are split by who set the time first; sprint weekends use a shorter SQ1, SQ2 and SQ3.

In Formula 1 the starting grid for the race is set in qualifying, where drivers chase the fastest single lap. This guide explains Formula 1's knockout qualifying, as set out in Article B2.4 of the FIA's 2026 Formula 1 Sporting Regulations (Section B, Issue 09, dated 1 October 2026), and shows how the grid is built from it.

The knockout format

The regulations describe a three-stage session, based on 22 eligible cars:

Stage Length Cars running What happens at the end
Q1 18 minutes All 22 Slowest 6 eliminated; times wiped for the 16 who go through
Break 7 minutes
Q2 15 minutes 16 Slowest 6 eliminated; times wiped for the 10 who go through
Break 7 minutes
Q3 13 minutes 10 Fastest time takes pole position

If 20 cars are eligible, five are eliminated after Q1 and Q2; if 24, seven. Only laps started and completed by crossing the control line on track count.

Wikipedia's history of the race weekend notes the format's roots: before 1996, qualifying was two one-hour sessions, a single-lap system arrived in 2003, and the three-stage knockout has run since 2006.

How the grid is built

The qualifying classification is assembled from the stage in which each driver was knocked out (Article B2.4.3). The race grid is then formed from that classification under Article B2.5, which first applies any grid penalties:

Qualifying positions Decided by
1–10 Best time in Q3
11–16 Best time in Q2 among those knocked out in Q2
17–22 Best time in Q1 among those knocked out in Q1

Because times are wiped between stages, a driver's blistering Q1 lap counts for nothing once they reach Q3; they must do it again.

Tie-breaks. If drivers set identical times in a stage, the one who set it first ranks higher. If several drivers fail to set a time in Q2 or Q3, those who at least started a flying lap rank ahead of those who did not, who in turn rank ahead of those who never left the pits.

The 107% rule

A driver eliminated in Q1 is unclassified if their best Q1 lap is more than 107% of the fastest Q1 time, unless the race director has declared the track wet. Drivers who set no time, or whose times were all deleted, are also unclassified. Whether they may race is decided by the stewards, who may consider a suitable lap in another practice session or the driver's general performance in earlier events.

A worked example. If the fastest Q1 lap is 1:20.000 (80.000 seconds), 107% of it is 85.600 seconds, so any Q1 eliminee slower than 1:25.600 falls foul of the rule.

Sprint qualifying

At sprint weekends, a shorter sprint qualifying session sets the grid for the sprint race: SQ1 lasts 12 minutes, SQ2 10 minutes and SQ3 8 minutes, again with seven-minute breaks and six cars eliminated at each stage with a 22-car field. The sprint itself scores points on its own scale; racing points systems lists both.

What makes a qualifying lap

Qualifying rewards a single perfect lap rather than race pace:

  • Tyres come from a fixed allocation: at a standard weekend a driver may use at most 13 sets of dry-weather tyres, and one set of the mandatory Q3 specification may not be used before Q3 (Article B6.3). Racing tyre strategy explains how that links qualifying to the race.
  • Setup is largely fixed afterwards: under Article B3.5 each car is in parc fermé from the moment it first leaves the pit lane in qualifying until the start of the race; race car setup basics covers that compromise.
  • A tow from a car ahead on a long straight can be worth time; slipstream and drafting explains the physics.

Practice first

Qualifying is the end of a build-up. Wikipedia's article on the race weekend describes the standard format: two one-hour practice sessions, FP1 and FP2, on Friday, and FP3 on Saturday before qualifying, which gives teams more time to fine-tune set-ups. Because parc fermé begins once a car first leaves the pit lane in qualifying, practice is where the setup compromise between one fast lap and a full race distance has to be found. Under the 2026 regulations, qualifying itself starts between two and three hours after FP3 ends at a standard weekend.

In Car Racing - Pro Career Racer, one of our sports career games, starting positions and race-day decisions shape each result; the game guide explains how the career builds.

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

How does F1 qualifying work?
Under the FIA's 2026 sporting regulations, all cars run in Q1 for 18 minutes and the slowest six are eliminated. After a seven-minute break, the remaining 16 run in Q2 for 15 minutes and six more are eliminated. After another break, the top ten run in Q3 for 13 minutes, and the fastest takes pole position.
What is the 107% rule?
A driver eliminated in Q1 whose best lap is more than 107% of the fastest Q1 time is unclassified, unless the race director has declared the track wet. Whether that driver can start the race is up to the stewards, who may consider factors such as a suitable time in practice.
What happens if two drivers set the same time?
The driver who set the time first is ranked ahead. The regulations order identical times in Q1, Q2 or Q3 by the chronological order in which they were set.
Does the number of cars change the eliminations?
Yes. The procedure is based on 22 eligible cars. With 20 cars, five are eliminated after Q1 and Q2; with 24, seven are.

Sources

  1. 2026 F1 Regulations, Section B [Sporting], Issue 09 (Articles B2.2 to B2.5, B3.5 and B6.3) (opens in a new tab)Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile — accessed
  2. Formula One race weekend (opens in a new tab)Wikipedia — accessed
  3. Parc fermé (opens in a new tab)Wikipedia — accessed

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