The Circuit of Montmeló lives intense days to carry out the changes announced on November 21.
Only one month before the F1 monoplaces return to the Catalan track for the preseason winter test, the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit is process of changing. On November 21, the Board of Directors of the Circuit announced modifications to increase the safety of it. The FIM (International Motorcycling Federation) asked them for this changes to be able to validate the track and keep it in its schedule for next season.
The accident where Luis Salom died, raised criticism of the state of the track, and the works on this part have already begun. The objective is to increase the escape of the 13 curve, where the accident happened. This part of the track is being reasphalted , they have eliminated the Tribunes C and want to move to the right the Tribune H. With this, the Circuit increases in 25 meters the escape, that will be of 138 meters.
Not only that, also the pavement of the whole curve escape will be eliminated to return to the gravel that years ago was already part of the circuit. In this way, any pilot that falls in this curve will be stopped by the gravel, avoiding an episode like Salom’s.
The works also affect the asphalt of the entire circuit. Seven centimeters have already been removed from the previous pavement and three centimeters have already been pulled from the new one. The route of Montmeló has not been reasphalted since 2005.
In the Grand Prix of Motorcycling that will take place on the weekend of June 15 to 17, the pilots will not complete the last chicane of the circuit, as well as passing through the La Caixa curve. The F1 pilots will continue to do the same track of these last years, including the chicane.
