Opponents are to participate in a three-stage qualifying system, culminating in a six-car, 10-minute shootout for pole place named ‘Fast Six’.
The sphere shall be cut up into two teams for a pair of 10-minute qualifying classes, with the quickest six from every group progressing to the second phase, which additionally lasts for 10 minutes. The highest six from this group will then struggle out the ‘Fast Six’.
As IndyCar does on highway and road tracks, the BTCC will allocate drivers into their teams primarily based on alternate positions from the second free follow session – first, third, fifth and so forth will run in a single group; second, fourth, sixth and so forth in one other.
That is meant to extend curiosity in FP2, with it not solely having a bearing on the aggressive factor to the weekend but in addition to extend the significance of qualifying simulations.
The normal BTCC qualifying session of half-hour has meant that groups have had the luxurious of utilizing the early levels to get a learn on set-up, that means they’ll give attention to race distance runs throughout free follow.
Even with the addition at some occasions in latest seasons of a top-10 Q2 shootout, the preliminary Q1 part has nonetheless lasted for half an hour.
Photograph by: JEP / Motorsport Images
Ashley Sutton, NAPA Racing UK Ford Focus ST
“We’re at all times trying to deliver additional vitality to the championship, but it surely’s additionally essential that the aggressive integrity stays,” stated BTCC chief Alan Gow.
“I imagine our new ‘Fast Six’ format will deliver a heightened mix of competitiveness and depth to BTCC qualifying.
“As nicely, it helps the drivers by decreasing the quantity of automobiles on observe throughout all three of the qualifying segments.
“I’ve lengthy admired the best way IndyCar use this technique for its highway programs – it’s supreme for the BTCC and in line with our coverage of offering brief, sharp and intense motion.
“The strain will definitely be on the groups and drivers, greater than ever earlier than, to shortly ‘nail’ their qualifying laps in every brief phase.”
The BTCC assertion stated that the brand new system was welcomed by the groups and drivers and endorsed ‘throughout the scheduled latest finish of season groups assembly’.