Spanish GP consider major F1 change

Sam Hall
Wednesday 14 December 2022 16:15

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is planning a significant change to the layout with the removal of the highly unpopular turn 14-15 chicane.

The last sector of the Spanish Grand Prix venue was changed in 2007 with the introduction of a chicane for safety reasons after cars were previously able to go flat out through the final two corners and onto the start-finish straight.

By interrupting the flow of the track and slowing the cars down, revisions to the run-off areas were not required.

But with the venue now seeking to gain FIA Grade 1 accreditation, the certification required to run F1 on a given layout, these issues will need to be tackled.

Such a task is far from straightforward, however, given a public road limits the ability to move back barriers and grandstands, with a steep hill and motorway immediately behind.

A circuit spokesperson circuit said: "The intention is to homologate the track without the chicane at the beginning of 2023. But the track with the chicane will remain the same.

"Once the homologation is done, every promoter will be in a position to choose in which layout they want to compete."

Should the timeframe be met, it is possible F1 would be able to use the revised layout when it next visits in May.

The change would mark a continued trend of the circuit reverting back to its former, more flowing iteration after turn 10 was opened up in 2021, rather than it being a hard braking zone and tight left-hander.