Details of the new qualifications format

The sporting regulations for the 2016 season F1 detailed the specifics of the new elimination qualifying format. These new qualifiers, validated by the FIA ​​during the last World Council, will be put in place from the Australian Grand Prix which will open the season on March 20 in Melbourne.

In Q1, All cars will be welcomed on track from 14 p.m. to 14:16 p.m. (indicative times). The last driver in the standings will be eliminated after seven minutes and must immediately return to the pits without having the possibility of improving his time.

The same procedure will be carried out again after 8'30, 10 minutes, 11'30, 13 minutes and 14'30, leaving 16 cars authorized to continue qualifying. All drivers can complete their lap at the end of the session. Once all laps have been completed, the slowest will be eliminated, leaving 15 drivers to advance to Q2.

In Q2, the 15 qualified drivers will be admitted to the track from 14:24 p.m. to 14:29 p.m. The last driver in the standings will be eliminated after six minutes. The same procedure will be applied after 7'30, 9 minutes, 10'30, 12 minutes and 13'30, leaving nine cars authorized to continue qualifying. All drivers can complete their lap at the end of the session. Once all laps have been completed, the slowest will be eliminated, leaving eight drivers to advance to Q3.

In Q3, the eight qualified drivers will be admitted to the track from 14:46 p.m. to 15 p.m. The last driver in the standings will be eliminated after five minutes. The same procedure will be applied after 6'30, 8 minutes, 9'30, 11 minutes and 12'30, leaving two cars authorized to continue qualifying. Drivers can complete their lap at the end of the session.

These procedures are based on a field of 22 cars. With a field of 24 cars, eight of them will be eliminated after Q1 and Q2. If the grid has 26 cars, nine of them will be eliminated after Q1 and Q2, etc. Intervals between sessions and eliminations will be adjusted as necessary to keep Q3 unchanged.