Indianapolis 500 qualifying format, defined

How the sector can be set for the 109th Indianapolis 500

Prepare for maybe probably the most thrilling qualifying weekend in all of motorsports.

Qualifying for the Indianapolis 500.

Over two days at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the 34 entries will push their vehicles, and themselves, to the restrict, attempting to safe a spot within the subject of 33. With 34 vehicles vying for simply 33 spots, by the tip of the day Sunday, one automobile can be left on the surface wanting in.

Right here is how qualifying for the 109th Indianapolis 500 works.

Full-field Qualifying

Saturday, Might 17
11:00 a.m. till 5:50 p.m. Jap

Qualifying begins on Saturday with your entire subject taking to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, hoping to ebook one of many 30 spots obtainable. Solely the Prime 30 spots are solidified on Saturday for the sector of 33. Vehicles that qualify outdoors the Prime 30 are thought-about to be with out a qualification pace and can wait till Sunday for an opportunity to clinch a spot within the subject of 33.

Forward of Day 1 {qualifications}, a blind draw takes place to find out the order for the primary runs. Listed below are the outcomes of this 12 months’s draw:

Every automobile is allowed two warmup laps earlier than their timed qualification laps, though a 3rd warmup lap is allowed on the race director’s discretion.

A qualifying try consists of 4 timed laps, with the mixture time recorded because the official qualifying time for the automobile, however it’s their common pace over the 4 timed laps that determines their place.

As soon as every automobile within the order has been given an opportunity to qualify, two lanes are shaped on pit lane. Groups might select from one of many two lanes for his or her subsequent, and any subsequent, qualifying try. Lane 1 is deemed the “precedence lane,” and vehicles on this lane get precedence entry to the observe forward of Lane 2.

Nonetheless, vehicles in Lane 1 should withdraw any earlier qualifying pace to achieve precedence entry.

Vehicles in Lane 2 have already certified however merely want to enhance their place.

It’s right here that we must always word that vehicles qualify for the Indianapolis 500, not drivers. That signifies that if a selected driver is injured forward of the race itself, another person can slide into their automobile, even when they didn’t qualify themselves in one other automobile.

When this primary session involves an in depth, the Prime 30 are set. The vehicles that end between 13-30 on this session are locked into the Indianapolis 500 with a beginning place secured. The Prime 12 vehicles are nonetheless within the working for pole place, whereas the underside 4 aren’t but protected. With 34 entries for the 109th Indianapolis 500, the 4 slowest will attempt to safe one of many remaining three spots in Final Probability Qualifying on Sunday.

Prime 12 Qualifying

Sunday, Might 18
4:05 p.m. till 5:05 p.m. Jap

Sunday is when your entire subject is about, and one staff will get some dangerous information.

It begins with the primary of three periods, the Prime 12 Qualifying, shortly after 4:00 p.m. Jap. The Prime 12 vehicles from Saturday’s Full-Subject Qualifying take to the observe, with one of many six spots within the Firestone Quick Six on the road.

The vehicles will take to the observe within the order primarily based on Saturday’s outcomes, beginning with the slowest automobile and constructing to the quickest. The quickest six vehicles advance to the Firestone Quick Six to find out the highest six spots on the grid, whereas the slowest six vehicles fill out spots 7-12.

Final Probability Qualifying

Sunday, Might 18
5:15 p.m. till 6:15 p.m. Jap

The underside 4 vehicles from Saturday’s Full-Subject Qualifying session take to the observe for Final Probability Qualifying, with the final three spots on the grid obtainable. Every automobile is assured one try, and a number of makes an attempt are allowed till the clock expires.

Till ten minutes are remaining within the session, an additional cool-down lap is allowed following every qualifying run, to assist engine cooling.

Every automobile’s newest qualification pace is eligible for the beginning lineup till that point is withdrawn or the clock expires.

With 34 vehicles within the subject, this implies one automobile goes to be eradicated by the tip of Final Probability Qualifying.

Firestone Quick Six

Sunday, Might 18
6:25 p.m. till 6:55 p.m. Jap

The weekend builds to this session, when pole place for the 109th Indianapolis 500 is decided.

The quickest six drivers from the Prime 12 Qualifying session are every assured one try at a qualifying run. The order is decided primarily based on the occasions from Prime 12 Qualifying, working from slowest to quickest.