Barcelona track resurfaced in the last moment

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya got resurfaced recently. The work was completed in the last moment before the on-track preparation work for the 2018 Formula One season kicks off there when the new cars hit the track on the 26th February.

The Spanish GP track was built back in 1991 and began hosting the Spanish Grand Prix that same year and the Motorcycle Championship started visiting the track the following year. Since then, the track located near Montmelo became a venue of races for many different racing series and the favourite test track for Formula One because of its close location to the headquarters and the usual friendly weather.

The high demand and loads of the cars means the track requires constant reconstructions. This resurfacing is the third one since 1991.

The track officials said that the surface is similar to the old one, but the bedding-in process of new bitumen can be problematic. F1’s sole tyre manufacturer Pirelli, therefore, dispatched engineers to Barcelona to re-examine the characteristics of the new surface to get prepared for the testing which is rather limited in time and mileage this year again.

The track will host the winter testing for the 2018 F1 season from the end of February which means the track has to be in best shape when the new-generation car rush onto the track for the first time.

"Everything that affects the track has to be finished because we have to be operational," confirmed Carlos Fradera, who is responsible for circuit maintenance.