» IndyCars: Indy 500 format tweaked again

The organisers of this year’s Indianapolis 500 have made further tweaks to the iconic event’s format.

Having previously announced a change-up in the event’s qualifying format, further changes have been made to the event’s schedule.

Following the three time trial qualifying sessions on the weekend of May 17-18, a post-qualifying practice session has been added to the schedule on May 19.

Organisers have made a further change to the regulations, confirming that drivers who “suffer a hardship” at the end of the first day of time trials will be given a pass to the race, although they will have to start at the back of the 33-car field.

The event’s schedule now reads as follows:

Sunday May 11	Free Practice Session 1 ‘Rookie Orientation Program’ Practice Session
Monday May 12	Free Practice Session 2
Tuesday May 13	Free Practice Session 3
Wednesday May 14	Free Practice Session 4
Thursday May 15	Free Practice Session 5
Friday May 16	Free Practice Session 6
Saturday May 17	Qualifying Session 1 (11:00-17:50): All cars entered must attempt to qualify; the fastest 33 cars will be confirmed as race starters. The fastest 9 runners progress to the ‘Fast Nine’ shootout
Sunday May 18	Qualifying Session 2 (10:15-13:45): The 10th-33rd fastest qualifiers will attempt to qualify; the results of this session will determine their final grid positions. ’Fast Nine’ Shootout (14:00-16:00): The fastest nine runners will each have a single qualifying run to determine their final grid positions
Monday May 19	Free Practice Session 7
Friday May 23	‘Carb Day’
Sunday May 25	Indianapolis 500