F1 Qualifications Rules 2024: Here is all you need to know (+Sprint)

The day of qualifications for an F1 is the day on which one could expect many controversies and drama from the drivers. The reason for this is that the drivers have to qualify themselves for the upcoming race with the best leading positions possible. Hell would break loose if a driver gets blocked by another driver during the qualifying sessions. This would be accompanied by heated arguments if the driver gets blocked by one of his team members. 

All in all, qualifications are as interesting and nerve-racking to watch as the final race on Sunday.

There have been many variations in the rules for the qualifications for the F1 race. Before 1996, there used to be two one-hour race sessions, one on Friday and the other on Saturday, where the driver with the fastest time lap in both the sessions used to qualify for their positions on the grid. However, this system was quite boring to watch and gave a very predictable result to the viewers.

In 1996, there came another major change in the rules for qualifications. The two-hour session was changed to a one-hour session on Saturday. The drivers had a limit of twelve time-laps with no restrictions on the change of tires and loading of fuels. 

However, this change had a drawback in itself, as teams used to wait in garages so that the other cars on the track could shed rubber from their tires which would further improve the conditions of the track. This is why the best time laps were set toward the end of the session which was not great for the viewers watching the game from their homes.

It was in 2006 that the first module of the current knockout system of the qualifying rounds was introduced. However, this system had a drawback as the Q3 session was hindered by the fuel load of the car. Thanks to the adjustments made in 2010, the cars’ performance was not dependent on the refueling load, but instead on their tires.

Then in 2021, came a new format which was implemented in 2022. This format involves the team members and is called the sprint race. It is spread over two days, with two qualifying sessions taking place on Fridays, and the last qualifying session taking place on a Saturday morning. The final qualifying sprint takes place later that afternoon.

In laps and out laps

During the Q1, Q2, and Q3 sessions of the qualifying rounds, each driver tries his best to set the fastest time lap possible, because this will determine their position on the grid on the day of the final race. Each qualifying lap consists of three full laps on the track.

The first lap is the out lap which is done by the driver as the pit is parallel to the starting line. The drivers start at a slow pace, increasing their speed during the out lap. This helps them to warm up their car’s tires and brakes so that they can reach the optimum temperature for working as efficiently as possible.

The second lap is the timed lap, where the driver tries his best to take corners as close as possible. The driver deliberately hits the apex at every corner and pushes his brakes as late as possible. By doing this, the driver will have his final shot to the finish line where his timer is set.

The last of these three laps is the in-lap. An in-lap is the full lap that the driver takes when he is driving back into the pit. The pace of the cars during this lap is slowed down to cool the cars down and to take some time before their timed lap stops.

At the end of every session, a flag is waved which marks the end of the session. If the driver passes the finish line before this flag is waved he can do another lap, even if the timer has stopped. However, those drivers that haven’t reached the finish line need to make it there as soon as possible with their fastest time.

F1 qualifications rules

The qualifying session is divided into three sessions, Q1, Q2, and Q3, the details of which are discussed further in the article. The time laps scored in this round determine the position of the driver on the grid at the sprint event.

107% rule

In the 1970s and 1980s, the number of cars that entered the f1 races was more than the defined limit of twenty-six. This is why the twenty-six fastest cars from the many numbers of entrants were chosen for the qualifying. 

However, by the 1990s, the number of f1 entrants had reduced to the limit of twenty-six. This meant that any car, whether competitive or not, was able to participate in the race event.

To combat the entry of uncompetitive cars into the f1 races, the 107% rule was introduced in 1995. This rule states that any car that qualifies for the F1 race must have a timed lap of 107% within the pole sitter’s position. This rule ensures that only competitive cars take part in the race as slow cars can prove to be a hazard to the race causing accidents.

Despite the rule being put into effect in 1996, there have been several breaches made to this rule. This happened due to the race taking place during the rainy season. This is why, the current rule of 107% states an exception that if the conditions of the race are declared to be wet by the race director, this rule does not apply. 

There is also another exception to this rule, that the steward of the race can choose a car to enter the race if he has set a time within 107% from the time of the pole position during any one of the free practice sessions.