Teams comprise five riders including a non-programmed reserve. Team A is numbered 1 to 4 and R1, Team B is numbered 5 to 8 and R2, Team C is numbered 9 to 12 and R3, Team D is numbered 13 to 16 and R4, whilst Team E is numbered 17 to 20 and R5.
The heat format is determined as follows:
| Heat | Red (Gate A) |
Blue (Gate C) |
Y/B (Gate B) |
White (Gate D) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1: | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 |
| 2: | 15 | 16 | 11 | 12 |
| 3: | 3 | 4 | 19 | 20 |
| 4: | 5 | 6 | 9 | 10 |
| 5: | 17 | 18 | 13 | 14 |
| 6: | 11 | 12 | 3 | 4 |
| 7: | 7 | 8 | 15 | 16 |
| 8: | 9 | 10 | 17 | 18 |
| 9: | 13 | 14 | 1 | 2 |
| 10: | 19 | 20 | 7 | 8 |
| 11: | 4 | 3 | 16 | 15 |
| 12: | 6 | 5 | 18 | 17 |
| 13: | 10 | 9 | 14 | 13 |
| 14: | 8 | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| 15: | 20 | 19 | 12 | 11 |
| 16: | 14 | 13 | 6 | 5 |
| 17: | 18 | 17 | 2 | 1 |
| 18: | 12 | 11 | 8 | 7 |
| 19: | 16 | 15 | 20 | 19 |
| 20: | 2 | 1 | 10 | 9 |
Riders take the starting gate positions indicated. Gate A is on the inside of the track, whilst Gate D is on the outside.
A reserve may have a maximum of four rides that can be taken at any time. They may not however, replace riders excluded for starting infringements or exceeding the two minute time allowance. All exclusions count towards the maximum number of rides.
No rider is required to take a minimum number of rides.
Race points scored over all heats are used to determine the final team placings. Where two or more teams are tied for a place, each team nominates a rider for a runoff.