Since its start-up three decades ago, the Circuit de Catalunya has faced three major resurfacing works of its 4.67 kilometers in length, the last one in January 2018 for a value close to two million euros. Other important works were the enlargement of the loopholes at curves 12, 13 and the one at the entrance to the finish line, the F1 chicane and other wall movement works in pursuit of the safety required by the international federations.
However, during these more than 30 years, the Circuit’s facilities have barely received occasional maintenance improvements, which has not prevented it from getting old.
In the last negotiation to extend the Formula 1 contract until 2026, a fabulous success and, for many, unexpected, those responsible for the Circuit had to accept the conditions of Liberty Media, which demanded a profound modernization of the infrastructure of the track with a investment of around 70 million in the coming years, apart from the canon for the grand prize itself.
Those responsible for the Circuit committed themselves to F1 and MotoGP, with whom they also signed the renovation until 2026, to modernize the facility and this Wednesday, the director of the circuit, Josep Lluis Santamaria , presented the status of the works, which in a first phase They have served to recondition and pave a part of the paddock, the back of the garages as well as the replacement of all the rear doors, the fence that separates the track from the pitlane (FIA requirement), the bathrooms, the changing rooms and the podium, which It will be completely remodeled to be able to accommodate the spectacular ceremonies that F1 has become accustomed to lately, for an amount of 521,000 euros.
Remodeling of the paddock of the Barcelona circuit
In this first phase of improving the facilities, the Circuit will invest around ten million euros, an amount that will drop to four million in 2023, to rise again to ten in 2024, a total of 24. The second phase of the improvement will come with new areas for VIPs, the boxes above the pits, the asphalting of the roads and other works with the aim of being able to make the facilities profitable with events related or not to the motor world.
Another of the improvements is the definitive and fixed installation of the luminous signaling flags that replace the traditional ones in the hands of the marshals. In that sense, the unification between F1 and MotoGP has allowed the Circuit to launch them permanently.
Turn 4 run-off widening
In addition to the modernization of the facilities, the Circuit has met some safety demands of the international federations, the aforementioned to replace the entire separation fence between the track and the pit lane, a requirement of the FIA, and to improve and widen the loophole from turn 4, a request from the FIM and an old demand from MotoGP riders.
New fence separating the track and the pitlane of the Circuit de Barcelona
Specifically, the wall that was between curve 4 and 5 has been demolished, recycling the rubble to make the gravel that has now been extended, at the point where curve 4 ends up to 112 meters, 31 meters and 49 centimeters more , giving that point a great width and safety, also building a paved safety lane next to the new wall so that the drivers who leave the track at that point can return to it, in the next corner, without having to fight with the gravel.
This first phase of remodeling will end in the summer, before the next two years continue with works of different depth so that “the Circuit de Barcelona is once again one of the best in Europe,” said Santamaria .
