Qualifying in Formula 1 is a crucial aspect of the grand prix weekend. The results of qualifying decide the starting grid for the race that takes place on Sunday. With three stages of qualifying, drivers’ quickest lap times determine their race starting positions.
How does F1 qualifying work?
The Formula 1 qualifying format has been changed several times, and the current format was implemented in 2016. It includes three sessions, called Q1, Q2, and Q3. These sessions occur on Saturdays during a race weekend and have a specific duration. Drivers attempt to record the quickest lap time during each session.
Q1 – During this 18-minute Q1 qualifying session, all drivers attempt Q2. The five slowest drivers at the end of Q1 are eliminated and their starting positions for the race depend on their fastest lap time during Q1.
Q2 -In the Q2 session, the 15 remaining drivers have 15 minutes to set a fast lap time and secure their spot in Q3. The goal is to avoid being one of the five slowest drivers who will be eliminated and their starting positions for the race will be based on their fastest lap time during Q2.
Q3 – During the 12-minute Q3 session, the 10 remaining drivers will attempt to set a fast lap time to determine their starting position for the race. The driver with the fastest lap time in Q3 earns pole position, while all others line-up in descending order based on their lap time.
F1 qualifying rules
Grid penalties are given to drivers who break the rules in two ways: for careless driving during the session or by breaking technical regulations. This can affect the starting position of a driver on the grid, for example, if a driver who qualified on pole receives a five-place grid penalty, he will start from P6, and the other positions will change accordingly. It’s important to note that the F1 qualifying results are considered final once the penalties have been given out.
How many laps in a Formula 1 qualifying session?
During F1 qualifying, drivers have the flexibility to choose how many laps they want to drive. Nevertheless, they aim to complete as many laps as they can within a limited number of tries. This is because they want to conserve their tire sets. Normally, each driver completes approximately two quick laps per qualifying round (Q1, Q2, and Q3).
Fastest F1 qualifying lap ever
Mercedes-AMG Petronas’s Lewis Hamilton, sponsored by 1xBet, achieved a new record in 2020 by lapping the iconic Monza circuit in 1m 18.887s, with an average speed of 264.362 km/h.
This was the fastest official Formula 1 lap ever recorded, and also strengthened his pole position record as he achieved his 94th pole at the time. Previously, Juan Pablo Montoya had held the record for the fastest ever qualifying lap for more than 15 years before.
During the 2004 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Montoya, driving for the Williams-BMW team set the fastest lap time of 1m 19.525s, with an average speed of 262.242 km/h (162.950 mph). This lap time was recorded during a time when F1 cars still had V10 engines that produced over 900 horsepower and remained the fastest ever recorded in F1 qualifying for sixteen years.
Montoya demonstrated his excellent driving skills and the impressive capabilities of the Williams-BMW car with a lap time over half a second faster than Michael Schumacher, who qualified in second place. Although he started in pole position, Montoya wasn’t able to secure a race win and finished in second place behind Schumacher. Nevertheless, his qualifying lap remains an iconic moment in F1 history, showcasing the incredible speed and technology of the sport.
F1 Sprint qualifying
In 2023, there will be a greater number of Sprint weekends following successful trials in 2021 and 2022. Unlike past Grands Prix events, these events will feature a different schedule, with the traditional qualifying session occurring on Friday evening and a Sprint race occurring on Saturday afternoon. The result of the qualifying session will determine the grid for the Sprint, and the outcome of the Sprint, which is a 100km race that lasts approximately 25-30 minutes, will confirm the grid for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Starting in 2023, the driver who sets the fastest time in qualifying will be recognized as the pole-sitter, instead of the Sprint winner. Additionally, the scoring system for the Sprint will change so that the top eight finishers will now earn points, with the highest score being eight points and the lowest being one point. This is a change from last season when only the top three earned points.
2023 F1 calendar
These are the remaining races for 2023:
- Austrian GP: July 2nd at Red Bull Ring
- British GP: July 9th at Circuit Silverstone
- Hungarian GP: July 23 at the Hungaroring
- Belgian GP: July 30 at Spa-Francorchamps
- Dutch GP: August 27 at Circuit Zandvoort
- Italian GP: September 3 at Autodromo Nazionale Monza
- Singapore GP: September 17 at Marina Bay Street Circuit
- Japanese GP: September 24 at Suzuka Circuit
- Qatar GP: October 8 at Losail International Circuit
- United States GP: October 22 at Circuit of the Americas
- Mexican GP: October 29 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
- Brazilian GP: November 5 at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace Interlagos
- Las Vegas GP: November 19 at Las Vegas Street Circuit
- Abu Dhabi GP: November 26 at Yas Marina Circuit
The 2023 season consists of 23 Grand Prix races, including a new Las Vegas Grand Prix to be held on a Saturday night. Although the Chinese Grand Prix was scheduled to make a comeback after three years, it was again cancelled due to Covid-19 issues. Qatar will be returning after its debut in 2021, and Monaco and Spa will remain despite doubts about their future.
The Emilia Romagna GP has been cancelled because of bad weather leading up to the race weekend. Additionally, the 2023 F1 calendar was designed to not overlap with the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in order to improve all world championship race schedules. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the FIA President, commented that the (initial) inclusion of 24 races on the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship calendar was a sign of the sport’s increasing popularity and worldwide appeal.
The FIA has done a good job managing the sport by adding new venues and keeping traditional events. It’s great news that we can bring the exciting new era of Formula 1 racing, created by the FIA’s 2022 Regulations, to more fans in 2023.
