The Austrian circuit, owned by Red Bull and designed with Formula 1 in mind, has been the scene of several accidents in recent years that have ended up forcing a redesign of the MotoGP track. Basically, the difficulty and danger of the original drawing, was located between curves 1 and 3, a kind of hellish straight in which we have seen some of the most terrifying accidents of recent seasons.
The most notorious, without a doubt, was the contact between Johann Zarco and Franco Morbidelli at the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix , when both bikes went flying and crossed the track miraculously avoiding Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales.
The Spaniard was also involved in an accident that could have ended in tragedy, when only a week later, at the Styrian Grand Prix , held right there, he had to jump off the bike after not being able to brake at the end of the straight, into turn 3, exploding the Yamaha in flames.
Last year, a fall by Dani Pedrosa, who was returning to competition as a wild card, caused the impact (and injury) of Lorenzo Savadori, and the spectacular fire of the Spanish’s KTM RC-16 and the Italian’s Aprilia in the middle of the asphalt between curve 1 and 2.
Three accidents, three red flags and three race restarts full of uncertainties that, finally, led the promoter of the championship to force those responsible for the Red Bull Ring to introduce new features.
The change has been installed between turn 1 and 3, with a super chicane that will force the riders to make two very slow turns (turns 2 and 2b), completely stopping the inertia of the bike to face turn 3 safely. The new chicane does not change the length of the circuit, which remains at 4.3 kilometers, increases the number of curves by just one (now 11, of which 8 are right) and reduces, on paper, the enormous danger of that circuit area.
In the original layout the drivers circulated through the center, while now they will have to face a chicane with a very slow right-left double turn between turns 1 and 3
Photo by: Uncredited
What will vary ostensibly is the time per lap. The best time achieved by a rider at the Red Bull Ring was established last year by Jorge Martín with pole position (1.22.643). The track record (in races) has been held by Andrea Dovizioso since 2019, when he managed to stop the time in 1.23.827, marks that will go down in history, since the introduction of the new chicane and the increase in the number of corners, it makes the record counter start from zero this weekend.
According to those responsible for the Austrian track, the drivers will need around 6 more seconds now to complete the lap, which would place the pole at approximately 1.28 minutes, while the fastest lap in the race is 1.30.
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
