F1 News: Silverstone Makes Changes Ahead Of British Grand Prix After Severe Safety Concerns

The changes coming to the British Grand Prix.

Stuart Pringle, the Managing Director of Silverstone, the venue of the British Grand Prix, has officially confirmed substantial modifications in the aftermath of Zhou Guanyu's unsettling accident at the 2022 event.

Last year's British Grand Prix kicked off with a shocking incident that saw Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu overturn his vehicle following a collision with George Russell of Mercedes and Pierre Gasly from AlphaTauri. Subsequent to this, the Silverstone Circuit in conjunction with the FIA has initiated measures to bolster the safety protocols for the drivers in the upcoming races.

In the unfortunate mishap, Guanyu's car had turned turtle after hitting Russell's Mercedes on the first turn, then skidded across the asphalt surface before finally becoming embedded in the gravel trap. This propelled the novice's Alfa Romeo into the air, going over the tyre barrier and momentarily getting wedged between the barrier and the catch fencing.

Even though Guanyu miraculously remained unscathed, the FIA has enhanced crash testing for the roll hoop this season to mitigate the chances of it embedding into the surface. They accomplished this by executing the updated homologation test, wherein the application height was lessened. Further structural enhancements are anticipated in 2024.

The Silverstone Circuit has also undergone considerable alterations, particularly in the first-corner run-off area to thwart cars from embedding into the surface. The gravel bed, approximately 45 meters deep, has been substituted with an extended asphalt section.

Pringle shared the advancements in the track safety measures, stating: 

"We've done a load of work this winter. There's a big piece of asphalt out the front rather than the gravel. This is to stop them digging in. It's the digging in bit that was the real issue there."

The 2023 British Grand Prix is due to take place on 7 - 9 July.