Due to severe weather expected from a coming typhoon, the weekend has been shortened from the usual three practices to only two before qualifying on Saturday. The race begins that evening coming to an end at midnight going into Sunday. The Formula Masters series employs a unique 'SuperPole' qualifying format.
The qualifying round is held after the two practice sessions on Friday. At midday, the session lasts for 55 minutes, but each car is permitted only 6 minutes of track time to set their fastest lap. The cars are split into two slower groups of five drivers, and two groups of six for the faster pilots, with each group given 10 minutes to set a time. The groups are based on 2nd practice position, designed to keep the field even and competitive.
The final grid for race day is determined from the fastest times of each driver, before the top five overall are placed into a 'Super Pole' session at the end of the group phase. The rest of the fifteen drivers start in the order that they originally qualified, unless penalties are applied.
The 'Super Pole Shootout', as it is officially known, sees the top five from the groups enter a new fifteen minute session to determine the order of the top five. The slowest of the quintet leaves the pits first, and has a whole lap to set their car up for one flying lap before the second slowest car enters the circuit, and so on. In essence, each of the top five will be given a clear circuit to drive on, with the fastest driver receiving points for pole as well.
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When the sun is at it's highest in the sky on a clear day at noon, the 1st practice of the day commences. This is used to acclimate the drivers to the car, and the cars to the conditions of the racetrack. Rising temps of the day heat the tarmac of the circuit, evened out by the cooler ambient air temperatures, giving mixed conditions, making it difficult for the drivers to find the right setups to run. Even in this tricky environment, Habu leads the driver's times with relative ease. Showing great and consistent speed, she earns awe and applause from the crowd. Coming as a suprise to many, team Aichi was content in the middle of the pack, not wanting to show their true speed before the start of the second practice.
Other Teams of major car manufacturers are close in terms of time to the top runners, indicating the equalization of the competition brought on by the return of the mountain side circuit to the racing calendar.
Zumiko's pace in the 1st practice was almost one second down on her teammate. Locking her brakes and running wide several times, her session ended as she almost makes contact with the barriers before being saved by the gravel traps, a troubling indication that she is struggling with unlocking the potential of her car.
With dismay she separates herself from her machine, watching it being hoisted away to the garage before being showed the directions to walk herself back to the pit lane paddock where her team is waiting.
