New chicane alters Barca layout.

Honda and Red Bull weren't the only ones unveiling new creations at the Circuit de Catalunya this week, as their host also took the wraps off something for 2007.

Barcelona's new chicane, located between the Europcar and New Holland corners at the end of the lap, has been completed in time for the next round of winter testing, and will be graced by Formula One when it officially opens for action on Wednesday. The new section has been created to reduce speeds through the final corner and onto the main straight, but affects the Europcar corner, where the braking point has been brought forward for what is now a tighter turn, before a short straight and left-right combination returns the cars to the original layout.

In addition to changes to the track, run-off areas at the circuit have been paved and, in the case of the Wurth corner, enlarged, while the circuit will feature the latest in safety barriers - the F1 TecPro system developed by the FIA Institute and DEKRA - when the layout is pressed into action. The system is capable of absorbing the energy of a 200kph impact whilst keeping the g-forces to tolerable levels.

The planned paddock enlargement and the construction of the two spectator access bridges remain in progress.