F14 min readFebruary 22, 2026
F1 Qualifying Explained: How Q1, Q2 and Q3 Set the Starting Grid
By The Score Central Editorial Team
Formula 1 qualifying takes place on Saturday before every grand prix and determines the starting grid for Sunday's race. The session is split into three parts, each eliminating drivers until the top 10 fight for pole position.
Q1: All 20 Drivers, 18 Minutes
All 20 drivers compete in Q1, which runs for 18 minutes. Each driver can complete as many laps as the time allows, and only their single fastest valid lap time counts. The 5 slowest drivers at the end of Q1 are eliminated and must start the race from grid positions 16 to 20.
On circuits where overtaking is difficult, the 5 drivers eliminated in Q1 often start the race at a permanent disadvantage. This makes Q1 the most anxiety-driven session for drivers in the midfield who are on the edge of the cutoff.
- 20 drivers compete in Q1
- Session length: 18 minutes
- Bottom 5 eliminated, start from positions 16 to 20
- Each driver can run as many laps as they want within the time
Q2: 15 Cars, 15 Minutes
The remaining 15 drivers continue in Q2, which lasts 15 minutes. The 5 slowest are eliminated again, starting the race from positions 11 to 15. At most circuits, the tyre compound used to set a Q2 lap time is the compound those drivers must start the race on.
This creates a strategic decision in Q2. Teams in positions 11 to 15 can use any tyre. But teams pushing for Q3 must choose between using a faster soft tyre to guarantee Q3 entry and starting the race on softs, or using a harder medium or hard tyre to gain a race strategy advantage at the cost of a slower qualifying time.
What tyre rule applies to Q2 survivors?
The rule states that the 10 drivers who advance from Q2 must start the race on the same compound they used to set their fastest Q2 time. This applies at most circuits but not all, and there are exceptions for wet weather conditions. The intent was to prevent all top-10 cars from choosing soft tyres for qualifying and then starting on mediums.
- 15 drivers compete in Q2
- Session length: 15 minutes
- Bottom 5 eliminated, start from positions 11 to 15
- Q2 tyre rule: top 10 must start the race on their Q2 tyre compound
Q3: Top 10 Fight for Pole
The top 10 drivers compete in Q3, which lasts 12 minutes. All 10 are free to use any tyre compound. They typically get two timed runs: the second run often produces the fastest times as the track rubbers in and conditions improve.
The driver with the fastest Q3 time starts from pole position. The rest of the top 10 are ordered by their Q3 times. Q3 grid positions do not earn championship points in standard qualifying, but the pole-sitter wins the race more often than any other starting position.
- 10 drivers compete in Q3
- Session length: 12 minutes
- Fastest Q3 time = pole position
- Q3 drivers can choose any tyre compound
Sprint Shootout: The Different Format
At sprint weekends, the main race qualifying session still runs on Friday and sets the Sunday race grid. A separate Sprint Shootout session runs on Friday afternoon to set the Saturday sprint race grid.
The Sprint Shootout is structured as SQ1, SQ2, SQ3 to distinguish it from regular qualifying, but the elimination format is identical: SQ1 eliminates the bottom 5 from 20 cars, SQ2 eliminates the next 5 from 15 cars, and SQ3 decides the top 10 sprint grid positions. The Q2 tyre rule does not apply to the Sprint Shootout.
- Sprint Shootout: SQ1 (18 min), SQ2 (15 min), SQ3 (12 min)
- Sets the Saturday sprint race grid only
- Main race qualifying remains on Friday, separate from sprint qualifying
- No Q2 tyre rule applies in Sprint Shootout
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