IndyCar President Jay Frye says the series does not give time back for red flags in most rounds of qualifying to encourage teams onto the race track.
Qualifying on IndyCar’s road courses and street circuits is typically decided by a Formula 1-style knockout system, albeit with the field running in two separate groups in the initial phase to cut down on traffic.
From Round 1 of qualifying, the top six in each group progress to Round 2, with each of those segments being 10 minutes long (12 minutes at Road America), inclusive of any red flags.
It is only in the Fast Fix in which pole position in finally settled that the time on-track, six minutes (eight minutes at Road America), is guaranteed green flag running.
Furthermore, Rule 8.3.7.1 of IndyCar’s Official Rulebook states, “If a Green Condition occurs prior to the completion of any segment, INDYCAR may delay the display of the Checkered Flag to allow each Car leaving Pit Lane enough time for one (1) timed lap.”
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On the other hand, earlier rounds of qualifying having been disrupted at each of the last three road course/street circuit events, namely Toronto, Indianapolis, and Nashville, with red flags particularly costly for series leader Will Power at the former.
Frye cited scheduling constraints as one reason to not extend Fast Six protocol to Rounds 1 and 2, but also pointed out that there is a sporting element which is arguably good for the show.
That is, the potential for missing out due to a red flag creates a sense of jeopardy which means drivers cannot afford to sit around in pit lane for too long.
“We have guaranteed time for the Firestone Fast Six, which is good,” he said in a recent fan Q&A, via IndyCar’s official website.
“Why don’t we do that in the two earlier rounds? There are a couple of different reasons.
“One, we have to keep the show moving; there are other things going on at the track after us. Yes, we are the headliner, but there’s only so much time in the day, so that’s part of it.
“Historically, IndyCar had guaranteed time, and a lot of teams would sit in pit lane because there wasn’t a sense of urgency to go out in the early part of the session. You must have a sense of urgency.
“If you look at Nashville, which saw Group 1 not get much time due to red flags, it became a clear reminder to teams: There needs to be a sense of urgency because you never know what’s going to happen.
“It’s okay to have a plan if everything runs smoothly, but sometimes it doesn’t, and you better make sure you go out and complete a ‘banker’ lap to make sure you do transfer to the next round.
“Teams can do whatever they want, but that was likely a good reminder of what could happen.
“Interesting fact: In the 11 years of qualifying in the current format, we have only had 10 occasions where we had multiple red flags in a session. So, it doesn’t happen that often.
“Yes, it happened in Nashville, and we don’t like it because we like to keep going and have the fans get a great show.
“But we have a procedure for a reason. They need to have a sense of urgency moving forward.”
For the most part, drivers roll out on primary compound tyres at the start of Rounds 1 and 2 of qualifying, then switch to alternates for their second run, with Fast Six strategies somewhat track-dependent given only used alternates are available by then.
As such, the ‘black’ tyre run is supposed to be the banker, although the top six in earlier segments is usually decided by the ‘red’ (now ‘green’) runs.
IndyCar does have the option of extending those segments if fewer than six cars have set a lap time, with drivers then also given the opportunity for one more timed lap.
The penultimate event of the season takes place next weekend (September 2-4, local time) at Portland.
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