FIA has confirmed changes to the Albert Park track as a result of the incidents which took place during the first day of running in Melbourne ahead of the 2022 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. Despite the fact that Formula 1 cars hit the track only tomorrow, the support programme, headlined by the Repco Supercars Championship, did head out on the revised circuit earlier today.
Supercars took in two practice sessions and back-to-back qualifying sessions for Races 6 and 7 of the competition. However, two separate crashes at Turn 5, one each for Broc Feeney and Jake Kostecki, raised concerns. Both drivers tagged the new-for-2022 Tecpro barrier on the exit of the fast right-hander, placed close to the edge of the circuit, before rebounding out into the middle of the track.
Jake Kostecki’s incident during the first qualifying session, for Race 6, made for a lengthy red flag given the fact that major repairs had to be made to the damaged barrier.
A few hours later, the FIA officially announced that the Tecpro section on that corner has been shortened by 20 metres, as reported by Speedcafe.com
“I haven’t seen them so I guess I’ll have to have a look at that,” said Ferrari junior Mick Schumacher when asked by Speedcafe.com to comment on the location of the Tecpro barrier, taking into consideration the crashes on Thursday at the Albert Park circuit – “I’m sure that F1 and the promoters are on it and try to make everything as safe as possible and put the placing of the Tecpro barriers the right way.”
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The changes, which were confirmed ahead of Supercars’ second qualifying session on Thursday afternoon, will remain in place during the entire Australian Grand Prix weekend in Melbourne.
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