Barcelona final sector chicane finally removed

Here is an announcement which should please a lot of people. Criticized for several years because drivers felt in particular that it impacted overtaking opportunities, the famous chicane in the last sector of Barcelona will not be used during the Spanish Grand Prix this year. Thus, it will give way to the traditional long bend leading to the straight line, the last use of which dates back to 2006 and the victory of Fernando Alonso with Renault.

🚨BREAKING!! Tea #F1 #SpanishGP change its track configuration! 🤩

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will host the #SpanishGP without the chicane returning the circuit to its original last two corner layout. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/4jCZBqLQP7

- Circuit of Barcelona-Catalunya (@Circuitcat_eng) February 27, 2023

©F1

Barcelona, ​​a circuit in constant evolution

This decision to remove the chicane for F1 is not insignificant. For several years, the management of the Catalan route has been making various changes across the 4,6 kilometers of bitumen in order to modernize it.

In 2021, turn 10, the one at the end of turn 2^e DRS zone in the second sector, had modified. Its curvature had been redesigned, going from an almost hairpin to a wider bend. However, this did not receive only positive feedback from drivers believing that overtaking possibilities were diminishing.

Finally, the Catalan promoter announced the expansion by 40% of the run-off zone outside the first turn to guarantee better safety for drivers. last october.

With the removal of the final chicane, organizers now hope that the Spanish Grand Prix will be more lively as in recent years it has tended to be processional.

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