Formula 1 and MotoGP venue Barcelona will reinstate a modified layout of the old Turn 10 following safety improvements made in conjunction with the FIA and FIM.
The original Turn 10 at the Barcelona circuit was a long left-hander which fed into the long right at the top of the hill at Turn 11.
However, F1 abandoned this version of the corner in 2004 in favour of a tighter sharp left in a bid to improve safety, while also using the universally disliked final chicane at Turns 14/15 instead of the old penultimate corner.
MotoGP continued to use the original layout of the circuit up until the 2016 Catalan Grand Prix, following the death of Moto2 racer Luis Salom when he crashed at the old penultimate corner.
Due to the proximity of the barrier to the circuit at Turn 10, MotoGP switched to the F1 version of the corner.
Changes to the run-off area at the old penultimate corner for 2018 meant MotoGP could revert to that layout of the corner, though continued to use the F1 Turn 10.
However, the circuit will reshape the original Turn 10 into a slightly tighter version of its old layout, with the double left complex comprising Turns 10 and 11, with work set to be completed for the 2021 season.
“During January, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will be reshaping the layout of the current Turn 10, located at the entrance of the legendary Stadium area,” a circuit statement read.
“This project, which was analysed during the past seasons together with the FIA and the FIM, will improve the safety conditions at both car and motorcycle races.
“Traditionally, Formula 1 used the inner variant of Turn 10 and 11, while MotoGP used the historic layout.
“However, a few years ago, the FIM decided to use the same layout as the car races.
“For the 2021 season, and in agreement with the FIA and the FIM, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has designed a new and unique variant for Turn 10, that will be located between the two current layouts.
“This change will allow for an extension of the run-off area at the turn, thus increasing the safety distance, and it will also lead to a return to the origins of the layout.”
The changes to the Catalunya circuit is another in a series of initiatives which have been agreed upon by F1 and MotoGP’s respective governing bodies as the FIA and FIM work closer together on matters of track safety.
This news follows on from the announcement last month that circuits which host both F1 and MotoGP events from 2022 will need to have the LED light panels at marshal posts fitted.
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