Three changes will be made to the Baltimore street circuit ahead of next month’s IndyCar race in an effort to encourage opportunities for overtaking.
The chicane on the main straight will be removed, the first corner will be widened, and Turns 5 and 6 – which includes the pit entry – will be reprofiled, according to Tony Cotman, whose NZR Consulting firm is building the circuit.
“I talked to a number of drivers to get their thoughts about the chicane and the recommendation was with some grinding [to the street surface] it would speed the cars up going into Turn 1 about 7mph,” Cotman said. “Without the chicane, I think it will improve the show with a longer run into Turn 1, which will be widened to create a better passing zone and will be a good viewing place.
“Then we looked at Turns 5-6, which was a difficult combination last year, and we’ll change the shape of the corner, which may entice some passing. There are some other subtle changes like the shapes of walls.”
Last year’s inaugural Baltimore race attracted widespread praise from drivers, teams and spectators, although financial problems put the event’s future into doubt during the winter. Michael Andretti’s Andretti Sports Marketing was installed as the event’s new promoter two months ago.
Horace Gould Jean Marc Gounon Emmanuel de Graffenried Lucas di Grassi
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