F1 | Qualifying changes in 2026: what’s new for next season

F1 | Qualifying changes in 2026: what’s new for next season. F1 Qualifying will change in 2026 as the grid expands to 22 cars.

Max Verstappen (Red Bul), Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), 2025 F1

For F1 fans, Qualifying has always been one of the most exciting moments of the weekend, a battle fought to the last thousandth of a second. Drivers push their cars to the absolute limit, teams manage every detail with precision, and every decision from the pit wall counts. Saturday sessions capture the pure essence of Motorsport and the F1 category itself.

In the past, there were even proposals to award points for Qualifying because it’s when the purest talent of a driver emerges. However, F1 and the FIA never fully pursued this idea. There have been changes before, like in 2016 when Qualifying formats were altered to make races more exciting amid Mercedes’ dominance, though those adjustments were temporary and the format soon reverted to what fans know today.

An important change coming

Starting next season, the F1 grid will expand from 10 to 11 teams with Cadillac entering the sport. This means 22 drivers on track instead of 20, which will have a significant impact on Qualifying for the 2026 season.

With the two additional drivers, the elimination format in Q1 and Q2 will change. Instead of eliminating 5 drivers in each session, 6 will now be cut. In Q1, six drivers will be eliminated, leaving 16 to progress to Q2, where another six will be eliminated, leaving 10 to fight for pole position in Q3. This adjustment is primarily to accommodate the larger grid, rather than a full-scale overhaul of the system.

Could session times change?

Recent rumors suggest the FIA may also consider extending the duration of Q1 and Q2. Currently, Q1 lasts 18 minutes and Q2 lasts 15 minutes, but with more drivers on track, the sessions could potentially be lengthened. For now, nothing has been confirmed, and session times may remain unchanged. However, teams might request adjustments if challenges arise during the first races of the season.

Ultimately, the 2026 Qualifying changes aim to ensure fair competition and smooth management of a larger grid, keeping the high-stakes, high-intensity nature of Saturday sessions intact for drivers and fans alike.