Circuit de Catalunya approves track changes for MotoGP

The board of Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has given the green light to track alterations and re-asphalting requested by the FIM to improve safety standards for MotoGP.

The circuit hosts the Catalunya MotoGP round and has undergone temporary changes following the tragic death of Luis Salom in 2016 including using the Formula 1 chicane layout in the final sector before having a new chicane created for this year which was met badly and forced a return to the F1 chicane halfway through the race weekend in June.

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, MotoGP,
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, MotoGP,

The board of Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has given the green light to track alterations and re-asphalting requested by the FIM to improve safety standards for MotoGP.

The circuit hosts the Catalunya MotoGP round and has undergone temporary changes following the tragic death of Luis Salom in 2016 including using the Formula 1 chicane layout in the final sector before having a new chicane created for this year which was met badly and forced a return to the F1 chicane halfway through the race weekend in June.

As well as resurfacing the track, layout alterations have been approved in order for the FIM to homologate the track for 2018.

The run-off area at the old Turn 12 used by MotoGP will be lengthened to improve the safety of the layout. As a result, two sections of Grandstand C (see picture) will be removed and all of Grandstand H will be moved to provide space for a bigger run-off area which will be filled with gravel. From the braking point, the area will be extended by 20 metres.

The track changes have altered the circuit layout by 28 metres to 4.627km with turn 10 using the smaller F1 corner at La Caixa which was already used in 2016 and 2017.

The resurfacing, another “essential requirement for track homologation”, will be completed in January with the Grandstand alterations carried out in December.

All planned changes have also been agreed and passed by the FIA with Formula 1 expected to continue to use its chicane at the penultimate corner.

The 2018 Catalunya MotoGP round is set to take place at the Montmelo circuit on the 15-17 June.

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