Faster cars force upgrades for track safety
Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel beware: The shifting of Circuit Gilles Villeneuve’s infamous Wall of Champions will give Formula One drivers a bit more room, but is still guaranteed to pack a mighty wallop for those who step over the line.
The concrete barrier at the exit of Turn 13 has been straightened by moving the end of the barrier at the start of the straight a few centimetres farther away from the track to help the faster-cornering 2017 F1 cars make the turn — one of several modifications made to the circuit prior to this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix.
The Wall of Champions was so christened in 1999 when world champions Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve all ended their race by slamming into the Bienvenue au Québec slogan painted on the concrete barrier.
The 2017-specification cars — with wider tires and better aerodynamics — are about three seconds per lap faster on average than last year. Changes to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve were mandated by the governing Fédération internationale de l’automobile (FIA) following data simulations.
Octane Management, which promotes the Canadian Grand Prix, oversaw several upgrades to the track’s safety systems. The biggest was the removal of about 5,000 tires used as crash systems around the circuit. They have been replaced by newer Tecpro barriers, which have been in use at other venues long before the 2017 cars came along.
The Tecpro system was developed in 2006 in collaboration with the FIA Institute and was named the best safety innovation for circuits that year.
The catalyst was Michael Schumacher’s accident at the 1999 British Grand Prix, where the future seven-time champion suffered a broken leg when his Ferrari went off at high speed and wedged itself under a tire barrier at Silverstone Circuit. The car hit the rigid steel barrier behind the tires, and Schumacher’s injury caused him to miss six races and a shot at the drivers’ title that year.
Tecpro barriers have plastic blocks filled with polyethylene foam placed in front of rows of tires and high-density polyethylene tubes, then buttressed by a wall of steel or concrete. They have been installed at several circuits on the F1 schedule over the last decade, including Abu Dhabi, Melbourne, Monaco, Monza, Silverstone, Singapore, and Sochi.
At Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, they have been installed at Turns 1 and 2, and at the back of the hairpin run-off area near the grandstands.
In addition, a different type of barrier — called SAFER, for Steel and Foam Energy Reduction — replaces a metal one at Turn 5. This system was developed at the University of Nebraska and first used at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway 15 years ago.
The Tecpro system hasn’t been without controversy after several incidents raised questions about its effectiveness compared with tires.
Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz’s high-speed practice crash at last year’s Russian Grand Prix had many drivers worried. Rather than hitting the barrier and stopping, Sainz’s car nosed under the barrier, which then rose up and covered his car. Safety crews had to dig the car out before being able to extricate the driver from the cockpit.
“It was shocking to see that he was so deep in the barrier and that he was covered in the barrier,” Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel said at the time.
“The idea is obviously for the barrier not to come on top of you or the car to go under the barrier.”
Another change to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve: The gravel traps at Turns 8 and 9 have been paved, which should allow drivers to rejoin the race more easily if they miss the corner.
NOTE:
Speeds are approximate based upon 2017 simulated data.
Gears are approximate based upon 2016 data.
Lap & Sector times are based upon 2016 Qualifying data.