Competitors are to take part in a three-stage qualifying system, culminating in a six-car, 10-minute shootout for pole position named ‘Quick Six’.
The field will be split into two groups for a pair of 10-minute qualifying sessions, with the fastest six from each group progressing to the second segment, which also lasts for 10 minutes. The top six from this group will then fight out the ‘Quick Six’.
While IndyCar allocates competitors into its qualifying groups randomly, the BTCC system will be based on alternate positions from the second free practice session – first, third, fifth etc will run in one group; second, fourth, sixth etc in another.
This is intended to increase interest in FP2, with it not only having a bearing on the competitive element to the weekend but also to increase the importance of qualifying simulations.
The traditional BTCC qualifying session of 30 minutes has meant that teams have had the luxury of using the early stages to get a read on set-up, meaning they can focus on race distance runs during free practice.
Even with the addition at some events in recent seasons of a top-10 Q2 shootout, the initial Q1 phase has still lasted for half an hour.
Source: Autosport