Pole position for this season’s Formula E races will be decided in a five-car, 15-minute shoot-out rather than more traditional qualifying sessions.
As was the case in season one, the drivers will be placed into four groups of five by means of a lottery. However, these sessions have now been shortened to just six minutes. This means the drivers will only have time for an out-lap, a warm-up lap at 170kW and one flying lap at 200kW.
The overall five fastest drivers from these four sessions will then go out one by one in the Super Pole shoot-out. The fifth fastest driver from the group stages goes out first, when he crosses the line to start his flying lap, the pitlane light turns green and the fourth fastest driver heads out onto the track and so on.
Once again the pole position winner will receive three points. The order of the drivers in Super Pole will determine the first five places on the grid, with spots 6-20 ranked by the fastest times set during the qualifying groups.
“Pushing the car to the limit and brushing against the walls around a street circuit in qualifying is a real spectacle and one of the highlights of a Formula E event,” said Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag. “With this new qualifying format it will ensure the battle for pole position will go down to the wire – as the name suggests it’s ‘super’!”
The Super Pole concept is currently subject to ratification by the FIA World Motor Sport Council.
Source; FIA Formula E
