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Formula One
F1: Drivers Get First Look At New Bahrain Layout
The layout of the Bahrain International Circuit has had several changes for 2010...
SPEED Staff / GMM  |  Posted March 11, 2010   Sakhir (BHR)
Several changes have been made to the Bahrain International Circuit for 2010. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Mark Webber groaned after taking in Bahrain's revised layout Wednesday.

Like Fernando Alonso who cycled the new 900 meter section on a mountain bike - and Heikki Kovalainen, Robert Kubica, Lucas di Resta and Robert Kubica who sampled it on foot - the drivers were keen to discover if it added a new challenge to the venue of the 2010 season opener.

"Nothing but tight corners," Webber said. "Accelerate, brake, accelerate, brake ..."

His Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel admitted: "I would have preferred a couple of fast corners."

But track designer Hermann Tilke is not taking the blame for the extra eight bends.

"This loop has been around for years. It was designed for long distance races to accommodate more cars," he told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

The circuit is now configured with inner and outer circuits, a new loop, and has 23 turns. There are 13 right-handers and 10 left-handers. The additional loop, starting just after the old turn four, brings eight new corners – a fast left leading into a sequence of five bends followed by a quick kink then a hairpin – all with a significant elevation change.

It is believed the longer layout will bring the average lap time close to 2 minutes, which should exaggerate the expected gap between the fastest and slowest cars.

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