Practice Sessions
Before any racing begins, teams use free practice sessions to prepare their cars for the weekend. These sessions allow drivers to learn the track, test setups, and gather data on tire performance.
On a standard race weekend, there are three practice sessions:
- Free Practice 1 (FP1): 60 minutes on Friday morning. Teams test car setups, evaluate new parts, and gather initial data on the track conditions.
- Free Practice 2 (FP2): 60 minutes on Friday afternoon. Teams focus on long-run pace, tire degradation, and race simulations to prepare strategy.
- Free Practice 3 (FP3): 60 minutes on Saturday morning. A final chance to fine-tune the car before qualifying begins later in the day.
Key Fact
On Sprint weekends, FP2 and FP3 are removed entirely. Teams get only one 60-minute practice session (FP1) before competitive action begins, making preparation even more critical.
Qualifying Explained
Qualifying determines where each driver starts on the grid for Sunday's Grand Prix. It takes place on Saturday afternoon and is split into three knockout rounds. The slowest drivers are eliminated in each round.
The Three Stages
- Q1 (18 minutes): All 22 drivers take to the track. The six slowest are eliminated and fill grid positions 17th through 22nd.
- Q2 (15 minutes): The remaining 16 drivers compete. The six slowest are eliminated and fill positions 11th through 16th.
- Q3 (13 minutes): The final 10 drivers battle for pole position and the top 10 grid spots. The fastest driver earns pole position (starting spot).
Updated for 2026
With 22 cars on the grid, six drivers are now eliminated in Q1 and Q2 instead of five. Q3 has also been extended from 12 to 13 minutes to give the top 10 drivers more time to complete their flying laps.
The Grand Prix Race
The Grand Prix is the main event of the weekend, held on Sunday. It is a full length race covering a set number of laps depending on the circuit, with a minimum race distance of around 305 km (190 miles). Races typically last between 90 minutes and two hours.
How the Race Unfolds
- Formation Lap: Drivers leave the grid and complete one slow lap to warm up their tires and brakes before lining back up in their starting positions.
- Lights Out: Five red lights appear one at a time on the overhead gantry. When all five go out simultaneously, the race begins.
- Racing and Pit Stops: Drivers battle for position while managing tire wear. Teams decide when to pit for fresh tires based on strategy.
- Checkered Flag: The race leader crosses the finish line and receives the checkered flag, signaling the end of the race.
Important Rule
Every driver must use at least two different tire compounds during a dry race, meaning at least one pit stop is mandatory. If it rains, this rule does not apply.
Sprint Format
Six weekends during the 2026 season feature a Sprint race, which is a shorter, action-packed race held on Saturday in addition to the main Grand Prix on Sunday. Sprint weekends follow a different schedule from standard race weekends.
Sprint Weekend Schedule
- Friday: Free Practice 1 (60 minutes), followed by Sprint Qualifying (the "Sprint Shootout")
- Saturday: Sprint Race in the morning, followed by Grand Prix Qualifying in the afternoon
- Sunday: The Grand Prix
Sprint Qualifying (Sprint Shootout)
The Sprint Shootout is a shortened version of standard qualifying, used to set the grid for the Sprint race. It follows the same knockout format but with shorter sessions:
- SQ1: 12 minutes; the six slowest drivers eliminated
- SQ2: 10 minutes; the next six slowest eliminated
- SQ3: 8 minutes; the remaining 10 drivers fight for Sprint pole
The Sprint Race
The Sprint covers approximately 100 km, which is roughly one-third of a full Grand Prix distance. There are no mandatory pit stops, so most drivers complete the entire Sprint on a single set of tires. The top 8 finishers earn championship points:
- 1st: 8 points
- 2nd: 7 points
- 3rd: 6 points
- 4th: 5 points
- 5th: 4 points
- 6th: 3 points
- 7th: 2 points
- 8th: 1 point
2026 Sprint Weekends
The six Sprint weekends in 2026 are: China, Miami, Canada, Great Britain, Netherlands, and Singapore. Canada, the Netherlands, and Singapore are hosting their first-ever Sprint events this season.