Barcelona to change 'car park' corner for 2021 MotoGP season

The sharp Turn 10 hairpin at the end of the back straight at Barcelona will be modified in time for the 2021 Catalunya MotoGP, the circuit has announced.

The aftermath of Luis Salom's fatal accident in 2016 saw the introduction of a chicane on the exit of Turn 12 plus precautionary use of the tighter F1 layout, in place of the faster 'La Caixa' corner, at Turn 10.

The chicane was eventually ditched when more run-off area was created on the exit of Turn 12, but the gravel trap at Turn 10 cannot be enlarged and the F1 corner has remained in use.

While it solved the issue of run-off, the increased braking needed for the slow speed turn has resulted in something of an accident blackspot, as well as ruining much of the 'flow'.

Casey Stoner sliding around the old turn 10 at Catalunya

After Jorge Lorenzo triggered a four-rider accident at the turn in 2019, Valentino Rossi - a fan of the Spanish track - said the revised F1 corner was more suited to a supermarket car park.

"I don't know what happened because Barcelona went back to the normal layout for motorcycles in the last two corners [without the chicane] and did a lot of work for the run-off area. But why do we still have this [Turn 10] corner?" Rossi asked after the 2019 pile-up.

"I fought to have the 'Circuit of Catalunya' [La Caixa] corner, the long left that is very good. But for some reason we use this corner and it's like a supermarket car park! For me it's not a race track corner. And in a corner like this, it's easier for that kind of incident to happen."

After apologising for his mistake, Lorenzo (himself taken out by Andrea Iannone at the corner in 2016) added:

"I would say this type of corner created a lot of problems in the past, created a lot of problems today and will do so again in the future. My opinion is that this [design] of corner, hairpin, creates these crashes and we saw it many times."

The revised Turn 10  design for 2021 (pic: Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona).

One solution touted over the years was to replicate the original 'Circuit de Catalunya' corner, but move it earlier on the back straight.

Instead, the new corner design chosen (to be created in January) will be a mix of old and new, running between the F1 and original MotoGP turns.

'This change will allow for an extension of the run-off area at the turn, thus increasing the safety distance, and it will also lead to a return to the origins of the layout,' said a circuit statement.

The new corner will be used by both MotoGP and F1, with the 2021 Catalunya MotoGP scheduled to take place at the track from June 4-6.

Exit of the current Turn 10, with the old corner in the background.