The news of changes to the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, home of the Spanish Grand Prix, provokes a mixed reaction.
The changes will affect the penultimate bend ‘Europcar’ which is taken at over 200kph (125mph), the intention being to make the corner slower and therefore safer.
By doing this the challenging, high-speed turn Europcar and the final bend, New Holland, will be greatly slowed, reducing the dramatic spectacle of modern F1 cars cornering at astonishing speeds.
But in neutering the demands of these bends the changes may, paradoxically, improve the quality of racing at the track.
Aerodynamically-sensitive F1 cars can follow one another more closely at lower speeds, so a tightened Europcar corner could allow cars to follow each other more closely onto the long pit straight and create a better opportunity for overtaking.
The Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona was last modified prior to to 2004 race, with the bend at La Caixa being tightened in the hope that it might allow more overtaking.
But as the bend preceding La Caixa, Campsa, is taken at around 200kph, this largely hasn’t happened in the three Grands Prix since.
The track certainly needs something to liven up the racing. The 2006 Spanish Grand Prix was voted the worst of the season in an F1Fanatic survey.
Related links
- F1 2006 Review: Most (and least) popular race
- Spanish Grand Prix 2006 review
- Autosport.com – Barcelona confirm safety revisions (external)
Tags: f1 / formula one / grand prix / motor sport
James B
20th December 2006, 14:10
Nah. They need to modify the final corner because thats the main reason why overtaking is near an impossibility.