F1 qualifying format: What is the current system used in Formula 1?

Qualifying is a crucial part of any Formula 1 weekend, which sets the grid for the race.
F1 qualifying is a key part of the F1 weekend, as it sets the grid order for where the cars will line up at lights out for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton is by far and away Formula 1’s most successful ever driver in qualifying, being the only driver ever to score more than 100 pole positions in his career – with Michael Schumacher second on 68 poles. It is always one of the most entertaining parts of a race weekend, so let’s run through how a qualifying session in Formula 1 works.
F1 qualifying format: How does each session work?
A qualifying session totals one hour, comprised of three knockout sessions with short breaks in between.
Drivers are allowed to set as many timed laps as they like during each session, and as long as they have started a flying lap (crossed the start/finish line) before the chequered flag, they are allowed to finish the lap they are on.
This often leads to flying laps finishing a minute or so after the chequered flag in each session, but they count towards the qualifying session due to the lap having been started before the allotted session time ran out.
Q1: 18 minutes
The bottom five drivers are eliminated at the end of the session, with grid slots 16-20 locked into place, followed by an eight-minute break.
Q2: 15 minutes
The times for the remaining drivers are reset, and the bottom five drivers are eliminated again at the end of the session, with grid slots 11-15 locked into place, followed by a seven-minute break.
Q3: 12 minutes
The times are reset once again, and the remaining top 10 drivers are given an additional new set of soft tyres to enable them to set a fast flying lap in Q3.
The drivers then look to set the fastest time possible in the final session, with the times from Q3 setting the top 10 grid slots in order.
More explanations about Formula 1 on PlanetF1.com
??FIA Super Licence explained: How drivers can reach the magic 40-point mark to race in Formula 1
??FIA explained: What does it stand for and how does it govern F1?
F1 Qualifying: What is the the 107% rule?
The 107% rule is in place for F1 qualifying to ensure that drivers must get to within 7% of the fastest Q1 time (that acting as 100%), to prove the cars and drivers are quick enough to race.
For example, for a 100-second fastest Q1 lap (1:40), the slowest driver needs to lap within 107 seconds (1:47), otherwise that driver would require FIA clearance to race on Sunday – though that is not always guaranteed.
The most recent exclusions for falling foul of the 107% rule came in 2012, when HRT’s Narain Karthikeyan and Pedro de la Rosa were not allowed to contest the Australian Grand Prix for setting times at 108% of the fastest Q1 time.
The 107% rule does not apply when the track is declared wet during a qualifying session, however.
Grid penalties
Drivers carrying a grid penalty into a race weekend for an infringement from a previous weekend, or taking power unit parts beyond their allocations triggering a penalty in qualifying, can qualify as normal.
Any penalties are applied after the session finishes, meaning the starting grid can sometimes differ from the qualifying order.
This means the grid at the end of F1 qualifying is always marked provisional, before the final grid is published in the hours leading up to the Grand Prix.
Read next:?F1 points system explained: How can drivers score points in Formula 1?