The FIA, the FIM and the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya "have agreed to modify the layout" of the track, according to Oriol Puigdemont of MOTORSPORT.
The safety of the venue "was called into question following the accident that resulted in the death of Luis Salom during Friday practice for MotoGP's Catalan Grand Prix earlier this year."
That led to the majority of the riders "calling for changes to the final sector" -- especially the area around Turn 12, where the Spaniard lost his life. The plan approved is based on "two changes, which will have no effect on the layout used for the Formula 1 races."
From now on, the bikes "will run on a very similar layout to the one used by F1, although the chicane ahead of the final corner will be moved forward slightly." This new layout "makes the track's length shorter" by 75m for MotoGP, dropping from 4,727m to 4,652m for next year's race, scheduled for June 11.
The works "will be carried out next month, when there is no on-track activity planned, and are scheduled to be completed by the final weekend of January" (MOTORSPORT, 12/14).
