IndyCar Tweaks Firestone Fast Six Format For Rest Of 2026 Street Races

NTT P1 Award winner #28: Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global Honda celebrates his pole position run during the NTT INDYCAR Series Java House Grand Prix of Arlington on March 14, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Michael L. Levitt/Lumen via Getty Images)

Lumen via Getty Images

After implementing a revised qualification format for the recent Java House Grand Prix of Arlington street race, IndyCar announced an expansion of Firestone Fast Six single-car qualifying for the remaining street races in 2026. That includes an updated format, for the remaining four street circuit events of the 2026 season beginning with the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Friday-Sunday, April 17-19 on the Streets of Long Beach.

Single-car, single-lap qualifying runs in the Firestone Fast Six made their debut Saturday, March 14 at the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington. The format followed the traditional IndyCar “knockout” format of Segments 1 and 2, which narrowed the field to six remaining qualifiers.

IndyCar Firestone Fast Six Details

Moving forward, the adjustments to single-car Firestone Fast Six format will include:

• Choice of qualifying order based on Segment 2 results.

The fastest qualifier from Segment 2 will be the first to choose which position they would like to make their Fast Six qualifying run with subsequent choices made for the remaining positions based on the order of Segment 2 results.

• Lining up at pit out following tire declaration.

Once the qualifying order is determined, teams will make their tire selection – primary or alternate tires – prior to lining up in single-file and in order of their qualifying run, at pit out to await their qualifying attempt.

During Firestone Fast Six single-car qualifying, drivers will leave pit lane and get an opportunity for one lap – starting and ending at the alternate start/finish line. Once the car enters pit lane following that driver’s attempt, the next car will be released for its attempt. As in the streets of Arlington event, tire allotments and tire rules will remain unchanged.

Which IndyCar Races Are Affected By Fast Six Change

Single-car Firestone Fast Six qualifying also will be scheduled for the three remaining street circuit events after Long Beach, at Detroit, Markham, Ontario, and Washington, D.C. The move to single-car Fast Six qualifying is designed to create a greater opportunity to spotlight and translate the challenge and expertise required by IndyCar Series teams and drivers competing for the top positions on the starting grid.

“The debut of single-car Firestone Fast Six qualifying in Arlington was extremely popular and well received,” IndyCar President J. Douglas Boles said. “Following the event, we reached out to stakeholders to help evaluate the format and look into ways to improve an already exciting session. This slight update will provide the fastest from the Top 12 an earned advantage of choosing when they would like their run in the Fast Six, while tire selection before lining up at pit out will save time and more closely equalize the session.

“With continued input from teams, drivers and our partners at FOX Sports, we believe these updates will further highlight the close competition and perfection it takes to start at the front of the grid.”

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MAY 24: IndyCar and IMS President Doug Boles during the public drivers' meeting prior to the NTT IndyCar Series 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 24, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael L. Levitt/Lumen via Getty Images)

Lumen via Getty Images

As in Arlington, if the Firestone Fast Six single-car qualifying segment is impacted by weather or conditions that cause significant track surface change from one attempt to another, IndyCar will have the following options:

• Revert to standard Firestone Fast Six qualifying procedures, which features all competitors vying for the NTT P1 Award in the standard timed window.

• Use the results from Segment 2 to set the starting lineup for the race.

Following the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series season, IndyCar will again evaluate the updated qualifying format to determine its use and implementation in 2027.

Firestone Fast Six Trial Run Discoveries At Arlington

When the new format was in place for qualifications in Arlington, Texas on March 14, Marcus Ericsson won his first career pole position in IndyCar and was the first driver to take to the track. Some drivers believed the first car in the six-car session had an advantage because the tires and engine were already warm from the previous 12-car session in Segment 2. The fastest car went last and by then, the tires had cooled to the point where that may have been a disadvantage.

Tough to say, but I think there was like more than 20 minutes between my last lap in Fast 12 until my out lap in Fast Six,” four-time NTT IndyCar Series Champion Alex Palou said after he qualified second fastest. “Only having an out lap just doesn't allow you to warm up the brakes or the tires or anything.

Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda during the NTT INDYCAR Series Java House Grand Prix of Arlington qualifications in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Perry Nelson/Lumen via Getty Images)

Lumen via Getty Images

“I was slower than what I did on old tires on the previous sessions. I think tire temp made a difference. Having said that, I don't know if I would have matched his lap time. He was pretty fast. I'm happy with a P2, honestly. I feel like the lap that he did, it's probably close to what he did on new tires. It's a pretty good lap even on warm tires.

“I wish that we had at least one lap to warm up, just so it would give us the option of pushing right away or warming up. But it’s the same for everybody, so...”

Ericsson liked the new format, because it helped him score his first pole in IndyCar, but also understood the viewpoint of the other drivers.

“I didn’t have much time to sit and think about it, right?” Ericsson said. “It was just a quick debrief with the engineers and then off you go.

“I don't know if it helped me or not, but it felt -- I was very focused on just doing my lap. It's a bit more pressure in a situation like this where you're sort of on your own and you get one shot at it. But I always liked that sort of pressure cooker. That's what I like with the 500 and qualifying there and racing at the 500. There's always, when the pressure is high, I feel like I really perform my best, and I think that helped me today.”

NTT P1 Award winner #28: Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global Honda receives the P1 trophy during the NTT INDYCAR Series Java House Grand Prix of Arlington on March 14, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Michael L. Levitt/Lumen via Getty Images)

Lumen via Getty Images

Coverage of NTT IndyCar Series qualifying from Long Beach is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET Saturday, April 18 on FS1, FOX One, the FOX Sports app and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls. Coverage of Sunday’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, round five of the 2026 IndyCar Series championship, begins at 5:30 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, FOX One, the FOX Sports app and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com