More about new qualifyingformat

In 13 days it's finally D-Day for all F1 fans: the first Grand Prix of the 2006 Formula One season. The FIA has made a lot of changes in regulations for this season! One of the biggest change is of course the V8 engine and, not to forget: the new qualifying format.

Saturday's one-hour qualifying session is split in three parts, each with multiple drivers on track and each with the drivers running as many laps as they want.
Part One: All 22 cars may run laps at any time during the first 15 minutes of the hour. At the end of the first 15 minutes, the six slowest cars drop out and fill the final six grid places.
Part Two: After a five-minute break, the times will be reset and the 16 remaining cars then will then run in a second 15-minute session - again they may complete as many laps as they want at any time during that period. At the end of the 15 minutes, the six slowest cars drop out and fill places 11 to 16 on the grid.
Part Three: After another five-minute break, the times are reset and the final 20-minute session will feature a shootout between the remaining 10 cars to decide pole position and the starting order for the top 10 grid places. Again, these cars may run as many laps as they wish.

What about re-fuelling?
In the first two 15-minute sessions, cars may run any fuel load and drivers knocked out after those sessions may refuel ahead of the race. However, the top-ten drivers must begin the final 20-minute session with the fuel load on which they plan to start the race. They will be weighed before they leave the pits, and whatever fuel they use in the 20 minutes may be replaced at the end of the session.

If a driver is deemed to have stopped unnecessarily on the circuit or impeded another driver during the qualifying session, then his times will be cancelled.

For more information you can check the FIA website.