A new team means a slight tweak to the first two phases of qualifying.
Up to now, with 20 drivers contesting each race, the format saw five eliminated at the end of Q1, another 5 at the end of Q2, with the remaining ten going into Q3.
However, with Cadillac now making it 11 teams and 22 drivers, the FIA has had to tweak the format.
Article B2.4.2 of the latest update to the 2026 regulations states that:
a. For the first eighteen (18) minutes of the session (“Q1”) all Cars will be permitted on the track and at the end of this period the slowest six (6) Cars will be prohibited from taking any further part in the session. Lap times achieved by the sixteen (16) remaining Cars will then be deleted.
b. After a seven (7) minute break the session will resume for fifteen (15) minutes (“Q2”) and the sixteen (16) remaining Cars will be permitted on the track. At the end of this period the slowest six (6) Cars will be prohibited from taking any further part in the session. Lap times achieved by the ten (10) remaining Cars will then be deleted.
c. After an eight (8) minute break the session will resume for twelve (12) minutes (“Q3”) and the ten (10) remaining Cars will be permitted on the track.
The same rules will apply to the Sprint Shootouts, though, as is currently the case, SQ1 will last for 12 minutes, SQ2 for 10 minutes and SQ3 for 8 minutes, each phase separated by a seven minute break.