ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Although Friday marks the first official day of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg weekend, it was not the first day of on-track activity at the 14-turn, 1.8-mile street circuit.
Indeed one of the corners, Turn 3, caught a number of drivers out during the lone Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda practice and also others from Pirelli World Challenge from its sessions. A couple USF2000 drivers indicated they hit a bump and got a rev spike.
INDYCAR has confirmed a track reconfiguration in Turn 3 this morning. Here’s the notes from the release:Turn 3 of the 1.8-mile, 14-turn temporary street circuit for the 2017 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg has been reconfigured, INDYCAR announced today.
The corner has been a fast, sweeping right-hand turn in recent years, but INDYCAR officials, in conjunction with Green Savoree Racing Promotions, decided to make modifications after several cars competing in Thursday’s support series practices crested a bump and lost control in the ensuing depression.
Approximately 180 feet of wall on the drivers’ left side has been moved back almost 40 feet. On the right side, curbing has been installed, which changes the apex and makes the corner a slower, traditional braking area.
First Verizon IndyCar Series practice is at 11:15 a.m. ET today.