IndyCar has confirmed that it will continue running the newly introduced single‑car Fast Six qualifying format for the remaining 2026 street‑course races.
The series first trialed this structure at the inaugural Java House Grand Prix of Arlington in March and following positive feedback from drivers and teams has now decided to keep the format for the upcoming Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach as well as the later street‑course events in Detroit, Markham and Washington, D.C.
By retaining the single‑car, single‑lap approach in the Firestone Fast Six, IndyCar is effectively preserving the gains in clarity, spectacle and strategic nuance that emerged from the Arlington experiment, while also fine‑tuning a few procedural details to sharpen the competitive edge.
At its core, the 2026 street‑course qualifying structure remains divided into the familiar three‑segment knockout framework: Segment 1 and Segment 2 retain the traditional group‑based 10‑minute sessions, with the field split according to practice times and the fastest six drivers from each group advancing through the knockout stages.
The final 12 competitors then proceed to the Firestone Fast 12 where another 10‑minute window is used to determine the six fastest qualifiers who will battle for pole and the first three rows of the grid.
What now distinguishes the new Firestone Fast Six qualifying format is the way the six remaining drivers contest the final segment: Each will be sent out individually for a single timed lap under a tightly choreographed sequence that turns the pole shootout into a linear parade of solo attacks rather than a mass‑action dash.
Additionally, the drivers will be free to choose their running order in the segment as tire allocation and rules remain unchanged.
“Introduction of the new IndyCar single-car Fast Six qualifying format 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 Firestone 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.”
Following implementation in the 2026 street‑course races, IndyCar will once again evaluate the updated qualifying format to determine its use in 2027 season.
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