Watkins Glen International and its parent company, International Speedway Corporation, have announced significant improvements to the track will be completed by this year.
The improvements are intended both to improve safety and in some cases to improve competition and involve paving over some of the gravel traps at the exit of the "Bus Stop" and Turn 10.
Turn 5 (outer loop/carousel/turn 9...depending on what series you follow) will see all the grass removed and a better crash barrier installed.
Turn 11 will get a SAFER Barrier. FIA curbs will be installed in turns 5 and 10.
Good to see the Glen get some TLC, what Axis is debating now is how much faster will these changes make the track?
Its more like "we are paving the run off areas because the NASCAR cars get stuck there and dont have any hard points to tow them out so we throw a full course caution for one car in the trap which ruins the race every year."
ReplyDeletei wonder if this could somehow be in preperation for a usgp in the distant future?
ReplyDelete@dtorresf1 I simply cannot imagine F1 ever going to a small town like Watkins Glen ever again, not when they are expecting a Dubai like setup. It's sad but I think that's the reality. They chose Indianapolis because it had the most extensive infrastucture. The hope for another USGP is a built from scratch facility close to a major market, I fear.
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