DEFINITION
Qualification is the solo-run phase that determines who advances to the elimination rounds and in what bracket position. Each driver typically gets two qualifying runs and their best score counts.
The top 16, 32 or 64 drivers (depending on the series and the entry list) move forward to the battles. Qualifying position also determines bracket pairings.
HISTORY & ORIGIN
The two-run qualifying format with best-score-counts was set in D1GP and adopted universally. Formula Drift uses the same structure under the name Top 32 Qualifying.
TECHNIQUE BREAKDOWN
Each driver runs the course solo. Judges score on line, angle, style and speed. The two scores are compared and the higher one is the official qualifying score.
PRO TIPS & COMMON MISTAKES
• Qualify high. Top seeds face the weakest opponents in the first round.
• Common mistake: throwing away the first run trying for a perfect score and then having no buffer if the second run goes wrong.
Her qualification score of 92 was good enough for second seed.