Supercars to adopt Formula 1-style qualifying

The category has used knock-out qualifying at select events since 2018, combining elements of the MotoGP and Formula 1 systems.

However the system has now been tweaked to effectively mimic the F1 system alone.

There will be two versions of the knockout system, Format 2 and Format 3. Both will use 10-minute sessions to determine grid positions 21-24 in Q1 and then 11-20 in Q2.

In Format 2 a third 10-minute session will then determine positions 1-10, while Format 3 will see the first five rows decided with a Top 10 Shootout.

Format 2 will be used on the Saturday at Sandown, Symmons Plains, The Bend, Winton, Wanneroo and New Zealand.

Format 3 will be used on the Saturday at Hidden Valley and Sydney Motorsport Park.

Format 1 – a single timed session for each race – will be used on the Sunday for each of those events.

The field will also be split for first portion of qualifying on Saturday, and both sessions on Sunday, for the Symmons Plains and Wanneroo rounds to ease on-track congestion.

The refuelling rounds – both visits to Bathurst, Townsville and the Gold Coast – will pair Format 1 with a Top 10 Shootout for each race.

The 2021 Supercars season kicks off with the Mount Panorama 500 between February 26-28.