Source:REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha
[Saba Sports News] The FIA has just announced major new regulations for the 2026 F1 season, declaring that there will be a new qualifying format. Due to the addition of the Cadillac team, the grid expands to 22 cars, and accordingly, the qualifying format has been adjusted. Specifically, Q1 will eliminate 6 cars from the 22, leaving 16; Q2 will eliminate 6 cars from the 16, leaving 10; Q3 will see the final 10 cars competing for pole position. Simultaneously, regarding Sprint races, the Sprint format changes: Friday will feature the Sprint Qualifying replacing FP2, and Saturday will feature the Sprint Race replacing FP3 and the Grand Prix Qualifying. This means less practice time for drivers and more intense competition for points. The editor believes that the new qualifying and Sprint formats require teams to be more flexible and versatile in their tactical arrangements, especially with the potential implementation of rules like reverse grid starts. Teams need to develop multiple strategies for different scenarios, posing a huge test for the team’s strategic planning and execution capabilities. How to reasonably allocate human, material, and financial resources is an important issue teams need to address.