Race rules, without the jargon.
Qualifying, heats, finals and valid runs explained.
Inspection and practice
An event may include technical inspection, briefing and practice; their order is organiser-specific.
Qualifying
Qualifying establishes a ranking or entry order according to the event rules; the fastest single lap is not always the deciding measure.
Heats or brackets
Events use different group sizes and advancement rules. Check the current rulebook before interpreting a bracket.
Final and results
Official classification determines the result; commentary and social media clips are not a substitute.
Timing, gates and penalties
Missing gates, incorrect routes and unsafe flying can affect validity or incur penalties under specific event rules.