2023 Spanish Grand Prix - Catalunya, June 02 - 04

[AR3-GP]

Lando Norris thinks last corner will not be flat:

Norris: "I'm not looking forward to it at all"
McLaren driver Lando Norris also brings in another point that results from the new layout, namely the physical strain on the driver: "It's even harder for the neck muscles, so I'm not looking forward to it at all," says the Briton about the new track layout.

"I hope that this will make the race better. But to be honest, the last bend is tricky. I wouldn't say that the last corner will go full throttle, but I think it would help the racing. It could be even more of a management race than it already is, and it's already a big management race."

https://www.motorsport-total.com/formel ... h-23053109


He has likely driven the circuit in the simulator already?

[Just_a_fan]

Lando Norris thinks last corner will not be flat:

Norris: "I'm not looking forward to it at all"
McLaren driver Lando Norris also brings in another point that results from the new layout, namely the physical strain on the driver: "It's even harder for the neck muscles, so I'm not looking forward to it at all," says the Briton about the new track layout.

"I hope that this will make the race better. But to be honest, the last bend is tricky. I wouldn't say that the last corner will go full throttle, but I think it would help the racing. It could be even more of a management race than it already is, and it's already a big management race."

https://www.motorsport-total.com/formel ... h-23053109


He has likely driven the circuit in the simulator already?

I think he's right.

Thing is, if the last corner isn't flat then that's a good thing - it means the driver has to judge it every lap and means there are chances for things to happen. If a corner is flat, they just arrive, pick the turn in point and steer. The car does the rest. But a corner requiring modulation is a corner that can help racing. Doesn't mean it's going to make the circuit a great racing circuit, however. It's still likely to be a dull race.

[AR3-GP]

Lando Norris thinks last corner will not be flat:

Norris: "I'm not looking forward to it at all"
McLaren driver Lando Norris also brings in another point that results from the new layout, namely the physical strain on the driver: "It's even harder for the neck muscles, so I'm not looking forward to it at all," says the Briton about the new track layout.

"I hope that this will make the race better. But to be honest, the last bend is tricky. I wouldn't say that the last corner will go full throttle, but I think it would help the racing. It could be even more of a management race than it already is, and it's already a big management race."

https://www.motorsport-total.com/formel ... h-23053109


He has likely driven the circuit in the simulator already?

I think he's right.

Thing is, if the last corner isn't flat then that's a good thing - it means the driver has to judge it every lap and means there are chances for things to happen. If a corner is flat, they just arrive, pick the turn in point and steer. The car does the rest. But a corner requiring modulation is a corner that can help racing. Doesn't mean it's going to make the circuit a great racing circuit, however. It's still likely to be a dull race.

I think the corner not being flat is going to make the field spread larger.

[Juzh]

Lando Norris thinks last corner will not be flat:

Norris: "I'm not looking forward to it at all"
McLaren driver Lando Norris also brings in another point that results from the new layout, namely the physical strain on the driver: "It's even harder for the neck muscles, so I'm not looking forward to it at all," says the Briton about the new track layout.

"I hope that this will make the race better. But to be honest, the last bend is tricky. I wouldn't say that the last corner will go full throttle, but I think it would help the racing. It could be even more of a management race than it already is, and it's already a big management race."

https://www.motorsport-total.com/formel ... h-23053109


He has likely driven the circuit in the simulator already?

Most likely. Yeah no way anyone's flat in the race, some baller might pull it off in quali.. maybe.

[Wouter]

Today at the circuit.





Fernando Alonso handing over pizza's to hungry fans waiting to meet him outside Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya .

[organic]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-t ... /10476626/

Remember there will be new spec tyre construction testing on Friday ahead of its full introduction at Silverstone

Some teams have already tried the new spec in 'blind' 2024 testing, but Barcelona will be an opportunity for everyone to run the definitive versions, with each driver getting two extra sets of C1s to be deployed at any point in FP1 or FP2.

[AR3-GP]

[ali623]

Current weather forecast this weekend for Montmelo,

[bluechris]

Current weather forecast this weekend for Montmelo,

https://i.gyazo.com/c50aa89487ed762e5ff ... d465a5.png

Nothing serious in Accuweather but it's early still..
https://www.accuweather.com/en/es/circu ... _poi?day=4

[AR3-GP]

Perez will be hoping the rain stays away as it will just increase the performance gap to Max.

[Sieper]

If RBR are running that wing that is quite a lot more than the rest.

[chrisc90]

Maybe they are hoping they can use the extra DF to get round the last corner at full speed? See how it goes in FP1 and trim the DF to suit.

[organic]

Maybe they are hoping they can use the extra DF to get round the last corner at full speed? See how it goes in FP1 and trim the DF to suit.

If they can take the corner flat out it would cause a large advantage Id imagine

[AR3-GP]

Maybe they are hoping they can use the extra DF to get round the last corner at full speed? See how it goes in FP1 and trim the DF to suit.

If they can take the corner flat out it would cause a large advantage Id imagine

That wing would also have them well covered for any threat of rain on Sunday. The setup window of the RB19 is massive when they can run a wing like that and just open the DRS for qualifying. I reminds me of their approach to Monza last year (which reminded me of the Vettel era).

The DRS zones are massive here. I suspect that's why RB have gone with the big wing. There's no penalty for them. Wing open in qualifying. Downforce for following, and wing open for overtaking.

[Mogster]

It’s funny how they changed the track 15-20 years ago tightening T10 and creating a chicane before the last corner just to end back to the original layout with the wider T10 and without the chicane…

I always loved the original layout specially when Motogp races there! The cars will be around 7-8 seconds faster according to twitter

I guess back then the answer to improving safety was changes to the track to make it slower. Today, the cars are inherently safer - Halo et al, of course - that they probably feel they lose nothing from safety but get to make the show better. The cars will be fast in the last two corners so they should look great. The question is whether the removal of the last chicane will make the racing worse - Barcelona has never normally been a thriller of race so there isn't much scope on that front.

I thought the changes were made to improve racing back then…these last two corners had so much run off still back early 2000s that didn’t provide much of a risk for f1! Yet it was more of a safety issue with MotoGP and Luis Salom’s death there!

I get the feeling the last two corners will make it easier to pass on the straight as you’ll be able use a bit of slipstream before entering the main straight!

The last section was so tight and so traction dependent that the only way to gain through there was by having much better tires! Now that’ll change and drivers will be able to keep up through the last two corners before entering the main straights!

I expect the DRS zone to be shortened too…

I thought it was about safety. There’s run off but not that much for what will be a 180-190mph corner. Get it wrong and you’re heading for the base of the grandstand possibly.