10 minutes before the race starts, qualifying is automatically run by the computer. The manager/player can't attend or live manage qualifying, but can influence the potential qualifying pace by choosing the tyre for the first stint of the race (which is also the qualifying tyre).
I add fuel for first stint is not taken into account for qualifying neither the push level, only tyre compound is.
Not sure at 100% but I think now drivers are going for 3 runs (1 in the past), and the best of them is kept.