The knockout qualifying rules put quite a spin on the 2013 season of Formula Drift. The new rulebook on page 18 highlights all the changes to the KO style qualifying round. A quick summary is the top 16 drivers will be locked in on the first qualifying run and parking them for the rest of qualifying. The second run of qualifying will be left for the rest of the drivers who will fight for position 17-32 completing the ladder. Below is the rulebook note on the new change. I like this style as it eliminates cupcaking in the first qualifying run and also really puts more pressure on the first pass overall.
Many drivers shoot for a conservative first run right now and guarantee a placement in the Top 32. Then put down a huge big run for the second and either spin or place first. This strategy will have to be greatly adjusted now with the first run being much more important. It also punishes quality drivers who mess up the first run forcing them into the top ladder bracket which is great for Fantasy Drift’s Underdog points category as well.
This also eliminates 16 runs from the snooze fest qualifying can become at some rounds. It increases drama, puts more pressure on the drivers, and limits the number of solo track runs the fans have to watch in a race weekend. I call it a win / win for everyone. What do the drivers and other fans think of the rule change which you can read in full below.
2. QUALIFYING
The format of Qualifying is a “knockout” format. Drivers will complete one (1) run on the track in order of current rank in the Championship. After each competitor has completed (1) run, the Top 16 drivers will be placed in the tandem bracket by qualifying rank. The final 16 spots allotted for tandem will be filled by the rest of the field by completing one more run. Drivers ranked form 17- lowest positioned driver after the first run will keep their first run score and then run the second run of qualifying. The higher of the two scores will be the score that each driver keeps. From there, positions 17-32 will be filled. Running order on the second run will be dictated on rank of the remaining drivers.
Didn’t they use to do it kind of like this with seeded drivers?
From what I understand, even if you mess up, if you are number one in the points, you get to be number one qualifier?
From what I understand, Cody, at the beginning of each qualifying round.. every driver has zero points. [They base it off of each event and not the overall season points].
They are awarded points on their first run. After everyone has completed their run, the top 16 drivers of first round qualifying will be noted and they will park until the final rounds begin.
Everyone else, will do a qualifying run again. They will be awarded spots 17-32.
If you mess up on your first run, you will not be making it into the number one qualifying spot.
Correct me if I misunderstood it.
That is awesome.
They’ll run one entire round of qualifying. You’re sitting between spots 1-16 after the first round? Great! You’re locked in.
Everyone else will now make a second run, and hope that their best of score out of two runs is good enough to get them into the top 32.
This will encourage people to go all out on their first run to get a higher seed.
Excellent, excellent format change. This also cuts down on time because there are now 16 qualifying runs, which means also 16 less chances of mechanical failure or an accident during qualifying.
Excellent, excellent change.
@Cody incorrect. Your season points rank has no relevance. Everyone does a lap 1 and they essentially lock the top 16 of the qualifying grid in a Q1 if you will. So to get first you need the run of a lifetime!
Then in Q2 everyone goes again (minus the top 16 qualifiers who are locked in) to place 17-32 positions.
So qualifying is still based on event performed.
holy crap this is cool! Makes people really push for that 100 pt run the first time around.
I love this new format, and would like to thank Andy for thinking it up. It not only makes the drivers commit on their first run, it awards those that can do a solid run right out the gate, and it will save time.
How does this format make drivers commit on their first run? IT DOESN’T.
If they mess up their first run trying to ‘go big’ then the best they can do is 17th, even with a 100 point run. So now tell me, how is this rule going to make drivers go more balls out??? IT DOESN’T.
The Top32 brackets will be all crazy too, with a few top tier drivers missing out on their first runs, and a few rookies getting lucky in Q1 with a great score. People think this format rewards consistency. IT DOESN’T.
Another rule change by FD that doesn’t do what they intended it to do. AT ALL.
Gotcha. I thought it meant top 16 as in ranking for points. That makes a lot of sense now.
Only drawback I see if what if you get a better score on your second run than any of the top 16 drivers?
then you get 17th.
good, drifting is all bs now. nick hogan should be formulaD champ 2013
damn that is a change in the right direction holy fuck thats gona be exciting
This is a better change and is exciting but if i were a FD driver i’d be more nervous over the inadequate judging. With a rule like this being added, judging NEEDS to be on point at ALL times!
Sandbagging, cupcaking, picture of Daigo.
Clever
What he said ^^^ This new system will work great as long as the judging is up to par.
This sounds like a great change and will really help out those fans watching on Livestream from other timezones (like myself) as well as improving the overall show and meaning the drivers can’t sandbag.
100% behind it
This is the greatest news of the year.too many drivers have that policy go 80% to get in the show well not anymore.
Game changer. I like it. Aside from Long Beach the drivers get plenty of practice time each event to memorize the layout and their line. By now they should know their cars like the backs of their hands. This just puts pressure on championship points, and the likelyhood of being bumped out of top 32 if you dont lock into top 16 first pass. Man id love to be at Long Beach for this…
YAY!! Friday Qualifying is not boring anymore!!
i support this move! my only concern is the disparity in judging seen in some rounds of the 2012 season.. this rule change will be amazing with consistent judging. maybe some more telemetry to show the judges the actual drift angle of the cars as well as speed and throttle and brake application.. it may also help in cases where in tandem the lead car sand bags a bit and then takes off.
KNOCKOUT format is awesome
Andy Yen has championed and really conceptualized this idea a few years ago, it’s great to see it manifest and now be received so well.
Progression is inevitable and this is definitely a progression for the sport from a competition and presentation level.
April can’t come soon enough!
As said above, the judges better have their crap together and know what they want BEFORE qualifying starts to happen.
None of that BS from the past where they are still figuring it out and changing what they think they want DURING qualifying based on what they see some driver do.
The real pressure is now on the judges, not the drivers. Otherwise the judges are gonna take some serious heat.
If I’m reading this correctly, does this also mean no more reverse order qualifying? Thats more exciting to me than knockout qualifying. Let the ‘best’ driver of the season based on points set the bar. Other drivers chase after that and better it. Gives the newer guys a chance to really understand what they need to do to get in top 32, and apply it in their runs.
i vote for live streaming telemetry next! keep the sport rolling forward!
The is another whole issue that they are addressing with this also.
Last year, the first 10 drivers or so to put down qualifying runs got pathetic scores because the judges couldn’t tell what was a good run and what wasn’t. You sould se scores steadily rising for identical runs, so the early runners were heavily penalized and it was unfair.
If I understand the new regulation correctly, the top ranked drivers will be running first so the judges will know what really is a good run and isn’t.
I still think they need to start judging based on deductions also rather than just assessing the run and ranking it. Zero mistakes = zero deductions = 100pts. If you judge critically, there are always mistakes and judging like this levels things out for the guys in lesser cars.
-Sean
Do the judges watch practice? If not, they should now so the get an idea what they want to see.
@Brian
how can judges in a professional sport not know what they want to see before the first car goes on track? In any other judged sport the judges know whats up and what is the benchmark before the first competitor starts the competition.
I don’t think asking the same thing of FD judges is asking too much. This new qual rule is asking the drivers to know because the top 16 only get one run, so the judges need to know first.
Ya butets get real here. The judging is all over the place and for the for the first couple cars out maybe a disadvantage. I like this rule change if the judging is consistent but I see one of two things happening. 1# the scores given are going to be a lot higher to make sure certain drivers and teams are in the show or 2# the ranking in which drivers qualify, is gunna be completely messed.
Don’t get me wrong I love this new decision but I’ve seen some great runs get low scores and some horrible runs get high scores.
Brian is absolutely correct….the first 15 cars to go out are screwed on scores. I’ve seen it happen time and time again.
new Jersey last year Lonberger puts an okay run down…..52. JTP runs over a clip and straightens out………51. How does that work?