The redesigned Barcelona circuit promises shorter lap times

The Barcelona circuit (which is actually located in Montmelo, but that probably sounded less touristy) hosted the Spanish Grand Prix for the first time in 1991, a memorable race where Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell fought relentlessly wheel to wheel for the title. Since then, the track has undergone several modifications, the latest of which will directly affect this Sunday’s race.

In 2007, the officials of the Barcelona circuit decided to add a chicane just before the final turn, thus modifying the traditional layout. For this season, this chicane located in turns 14 and 15 has been removed so that the section returns to its original layout.

New barriers have been introduced in the last two high-speed corners and the official length of the track for the Spanish Grand Prix is now 4.657 kilometers, which is 18 meters shorter than the previous edition.

A high-speed turn

This promises shorter lap times, but not only because the track is shorter. With this chicane removed, the circuit allows for a high-speed passage through turns 13 and 14. Charles Leclerc even joked about it on Wednesday, expecting the left front tire to suffer more than before: “I think the left front tire is going to cry throughout the race,” laughed the Monegasque driver.

Additional changes have been made to the Spanish circuit, including widening the run-off area at turn 1. This includes the addition of an extra 70 meters of gravel with a 5% incline, as well as a new protective fence for turns 1 and 2, aiming to enhance the safety of the drivers.

Finally, modifications have been made to the display board located at the pit exit. These included the transformation of a “more modern” signalling tower, as well as repainting and the replacement of curbs and tire barriers.