Turn 10, Circuit de Catalunya, 2021

‘For me it’s one less problem’: What F1 drivers make of Catalunya’s new turn 10

2021 Spanish Grand Prix

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Formula 1 drivers gave mixed reactions to the new turn 10 at the Circuit de Catalunya and differing views whether it will promote good racing.

While one of them said he wasn’t sorry to see the back of the old, slower configuration as it had been one of his weaker corners on the track.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is concerned that replacing the slow version of the corner, which was introduced in 2004, will make overtaking more difficult.

“I’m not so sure,” he said when asked about the new corner in today’s FIA press conference. “I’m pretty sure that there will be different lines there and that will be a bit better to follow.

“But I also feel that turn 10 was an opportunity to overtake so I don’t know. I think there will be less overtaking in turn 10 but if then it helps us to follow closer for overtaking before turn one, then that’s great. But I think we’ll have to try before commenting on that.”

Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes, Circuit de Catalunya, 2020
Bottas wasn’t a fan of the old turn 10
Pierre Gasly is hopeful drivers will be able to take different approaches to the wider bend, and stay closer to rivals ahead.

“Clearly I think there will be slightly more lines possible out of turn 10,” he said, “so I do hope racing improves and it gives us the opportunity to put a bit of pressure on braking and maybe try something different on exit and overtake, give us a bit more opportunities in terms of racing.

“In terms of driving it’s obviously a bit more open, a bit faster corner. Let’s see how it goes this weekend.”

Lando Norris warned it may make overtaking more difficult at the track. Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz Jnr suggested the change is unlikely to have a significant impact on the racing at the track.

But Valtteri Bottas said he is not disappointed to see the back of the old, slower turn. “It never was my strongest corner,” he admitted, “so I don’t mind at all that it’s new. Hopefully it’s one less problem.

“But I don’t know really. I’m going to walk the track tonight and have have a proper look. I’m not sure it’s going to change that much. I will find out.”

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20 comments on “‘For me it’s one less problem’: What F1 drivers make of Catalunya’s new turn 10”

  1. They didn’t camber it right, as far as I can see. This won’t lead to multiple lines, just more frustration.

    1. @hahostolze The above image isn’t entirely representative as it’s a panorama view.

    2. @hahostolze Correct. I bet camber didn’t even cross their minds.

      1. Rest assured, camber always crosses the mind in track design, not just for track design, but drainage design, also.

        1. @ewcdanselby bingo – the wrong idea. Off camber corners will drain well, but ruin racing.

          1. Depends where the drain is – they can be on the inside of corners, also. @hahostolze

  2. That corner felt harstly made, like a quick fix that never really worked: before the days of designed to degrade tyres, no one overtook there anyway. Not that the rest of the track is a byword for overtaking, but I can’t see having a bad effect on track action.

    At least this corner looks more flowing, and will make that bit of the lap look faster. With the old tight turn 10 and the hideous chicane, the last sector at Barcelona was very tight, and awkwardly slow compared to what it used back in the 90s and early 2000s.

    1. Often the more enjoyable the drive, the worse for racing.

  3. Here’s to a final GP at Barcelona before leaving this track for 2022.

    1. MotoGP will continue to race here and that turn 10 was something that MotoGP riders would have demanded to be changed.

  4. I’m guessing it makes no difference for the race. T9 is so fast that it is near impossible to overtake into T10, no matter the shape of the latter corner. Usually we had a few pieces of front wings in the air on the opening laps, but other than that, T10 was just a awkwardly slow corner. Glad to see it’s gone in terms of driving.

    1. @kaiie No difference. Even if they are closer into the last chicane, it’s a slow chicane which will make the gap open up with its accordion effect.

  5. Hmm, more fresh tarmac, that worked well last year IIRC, or has it been completed for awhile?

  6. As I said a few days ago, I watched the European Le Mans Series & Le Mans cup races from the circuit a few weeks back & the racing at the revised T10 was better than it was with the previous configuration.

    As some of the drivers suggest it does seem like you can run different lines through it now & something that occurred in the ELMS/LMC races was that a driver who was able to pull alongside into T10 was able to hold on around the outside & have a go into T11 which is something that you never really saw with the 2004-2020 configuration, But did see at times with how it was before.

    You can watch the ELMS/LMC races on Youtube if you want to see what the corner is like now.
    https://youtu.be/jh71Ywy9OGg
    https://youtu.be/bV5xpEGH4i0

    1. And here is an OnBoard of the corner from one of the LMP cars.

      https://youtu.be/4ZCX3xcJwOw?t=63

      1. Thanks for that. Looking at on the onboard, I think it might be a bit better for overtaking as:
        1. The straight is ever so slightly longer (although straight braking distance may be shorter)
        2. The track seems a bit wider
        3. The outside of turn 10 becomes the inside of turn 11

        1. In honesty, I don’t think it’ll improve the amount of overtaking. What I would say is the overtaking you’ll see will feel more organic and less highway pass style.

          Although the straight is marginally longer, braking distance will be reduced.

    2. Think that has a lot more to do with the cars than the track.

      1. @hahostolze I wasn’t so much looking at what the LMP/GT cars were doing & expecting F1 to be the same.

        I was saying more than the racing with the LMP/GT cars at the new T10 was better than it was with the same cars on the old T10 configuration the past few years.

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