Solved

What are the practice fuel loads?

Since practice is 1 lap I've always assumed the fuel load to be like 5 liters or something.

Practice run...
SS = 1:34.3 8%
S = 1:35.1 5%
M = 1:36.0 3%

Using the above example, I'm consistently seeing, for example M do a 1:34 on 15 lap old tires. Am I crazy? M should never be faster than the SS's 1 lap pace. After several laps and they overheat - then I understand. But faster than the 1-lap pace?

Rules say that qualify is run at lowest possible fuel load, so that is the fastest a car can go (theorically), do you have the qualify times of that particular race?

You remember we used to be able you use push level in practice. I think level settings influences qualifying, setting the push level. Even though it shouldn't, but I think it does.

So you think qualify time is influenced by the "default push level" you can setup in the strategy tab?

You are aware that the track is getting quite a lot faster with each lap? 2 seconds is quite possible especially if the tyres allow neutral push during the race and/or with DRS on those lap(s).

Pretty certain it doesn't. I don't make the start of most of my races, therefore at some tracks where I start on super softs my push level will be set as very low like it was at Hungary a few races ago, I got pole. This is in a league where their are usually about 6 teams within 0.1 of each other in practice. It also wasn't a case of other drivers not qualifying on super softs.

Yeah I'm aware of track rubbering (I've done my share of races on rf2 and other sims) but wasn't aware this game included that. But, regardless even if the track were green (no rubber) I don't see 2 seconds worth of rubber being laid down in 15 or 20 laps.

I'll pay more attention though, see if I can find a concrete example - I just assumed this was a common thing others were aware of.