Mark Webber believes that recent changes to Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya are unlikely to lead to more exciting racing.
Officials at the Montmelo track have constructed a new complex of corners before the pit straight because speeds through the final pair of downhill right-handers were deemed too high for the available run-off room.
An additional objective was to increase overtaking opportunities at a circuit which is notorious for producing processional races.
But Webber isn’t convinced that the tight left-right chicane that now precedes the final corner will do much to improve the situation.
“I don’t think it will help overtaking,” he said at last Friday’s Red Bull launch at the Spanish venue.
“We might be able to follow a little bit closer onto the straight, but it’s not like it’s a hairpin, we’re still in fifth [gear] through the last corner.
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Although he admitted the old layout was dangerous in the event of an accident, Webber could not muster much enthusiasm for the replacement corners.
“The last two corners were very quick, brilliant if everything stayed on the car – but if you had a failure then you were going in hard, it was a big shunt," he said.
“The first [new] corner is not bad, but the chicane is obviously a deliberate speed-smasher.
"The drivers didn’t see anything of it until the trucks were turning up at the track and the design was done.
“I thought it was done partly for the motorbikes, but from what I’ve been told they are going to carry on using the old track.
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