New Imola chicane gets mixed reviews

For this year's race organisers have flattened the kerbs and have made the corner tighter and slower, also resurfacing the area.

The end result is that the chicane is now taken like two corners instead of just one like in previous years.

The new asphalt has caused several incidents in today's two sessions, with some drivers expression their disappointment at the changes.

"Especially on the new surface, you have a big difference in terms of grip from the old asphalt and the new surface and that you need to take care and be careful," said Ferrari's Felipe Massa.

"I didn't like the chicane so much: it is much slower than before and you could even manage to make the chicane behind another car without losing grip, and now it is much slower so it will be impossible to overtake in the Rivazza."

Briton Jenson Button added: "It is not as exciting, it was a lot more fun last year. It is alright, it is just very, very slippery.

"The tarmac there is very slippery, it will need a lot of bedding in I think, and it is just strange coming from the previous corners where you have lots of grip compared to that one where it is completely different tarmac and that is the biggest issue you have got there.

"The grasscrete on the outside is good because it stops you from going off the circuit because it slows you down you so much so maybe it is a good idea for the future."

Button's teammate Rubens Barrichello believes the new chicane will create more overtaking opportunities.
 
"Obviously they could have put a huge corner in there, you would have loved it further, but the idea of not having a little kerb on the exit means that a lot of people will be making mistakes," he said.

"It is a pity that the track is not wider because then we would promote more overtaking at the Rivazza corners because it is left and right. The guy could choose to stay in the middle of it and you cannot pass, but it will definitely create more opportunities."