With the entry of Cadillac, the FIA has decided to modify qualifying for the 2026 Formula 1 season: let’s take a closer look at what will change ahead of the new championship.
This could be considered the most significant novelty of the upcoming season. Setting aside the new technical regulations, which could dramatically reshuffle the competitive order across the grid, 2026 will also mark the arrival of a new team, a development that has forced the FIA to take important decisions regarding the qualifying format. The presence of two additional cars on the grid has led the Federation to adjust certain aspects of the session used to determine the starting grid for each Grand Prix.
Until a few weeks ago, qualifying was divided into Q1, Q2, and Q3. In each of these short sessions, five cars were eliminated, gradually narrowing the field down to the ten drivers able to fight for pole position. Now, with the return to the grid of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas with Cadillac, it has become necessary to revise these numbers to reflect the larger grid.
What changes in 2026 qualifying
Neither the format nor the duration of Q1, Q2, and Q3 will change, with the sessions remaining at 18, 15, and 12 minutes respectively. What will change is the number of cars eliminated in each phase of qualifying.
Q1: from the 22 cars at the start, only 16 will progress – 6 cars eliminated
Q2: from the remaining 16 cars, only 10 will advance to Q3 – 6 cars eliminated
Q3: the 10 remaining cars will fight for pole position
The same principle will also apply during race weekends that feature the Sprint format. In that case, during Sprint Qualifying, SQ1, SQ2, and SQ3 will follow the same elimination numbers, ensuring consistency across all qualifying sessions in the 2026 Formula 1 season.
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