GridpediaLong Beach
- Location
- California, USA
- Races held
- 8 (1976 to 1983)
- Most wins, drivers
- Nelson Piquet (1), Alan Jones (1), Niki Lauda (1), John Watson (1), Carlos Reutemann (1)
- Most wins, teams
- Ferrari (3), McLaren (2), Williams (1), Team Lotus (1), Brabham (1)
- Most poles
- Andrea de Cesaris (1), Riccardo Patrese (1), Nelson Piquet (1), Patrick Tambay (1), Niki Lauda (1)
- Fastest race lap
- 1:28.330, Niki Lauda, 1983 (race laps since 1982; layouts change over time)
- Map
- OpenStreetMap
What is a lap of Long Beach like?
A temporary street circuit through downtown Long Beach, conceived by promoter Chris Pook as a Monaco-style race for Southern California; it hosted the United States Grand Prix West from 1976 to 1983, always with the long, curving Shoreline Drive as its main straight. The layout changed almost every year: the original 3.251 km course had hairpins at both ends of Shoreline Drive; the Queen's Hairpin was removed in 1982 (3.428 km), and for 1983 the steep climb to Ocean Boulevard was dropped in favour of Seaside Way, giving 3.275 km. At the last Formula 1 race there, in 1983, John Watson won from 22nd on the grid, the furthest back from which a driver has won a Formula 1 race. Formula 1 was too costly for the promoter, so from 1984 the event became an Indy car race; it is still held on a revised 3.167 km layout as the Grand Prix of Long Beach.
- Lap length
- 3.275 km
- Direction
- clockwise
- Layout described
- 1983 Grand Prix course, 3.275 km (2.035 mi): the elevated Ocean Boulevard section was replaced by Seaside Way and the pits moved to Shoreline Drive; used by Formula 1 only in 1983
| Order | Name | Side | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michelob Corner | ||
| 2 | Le Gasomet | Right | hairpin |
Sources for the checked facts (10)
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Beach_Street_Circuit
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_United_States_Grand_Prix_West
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Grand_Prix_West
- racingcircuits.info/north-america/usa/long-beach.html
- motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/may-1983/35/the-united-states-grand-prixwest/
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Formula_One_circuits
- speedhunters.com/2012/04/temple-of-speed-long-beach-gp-circuit/
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_United_States_Grand_Prix_West
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_United_States_Grand_Prix_West
- commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Long_Beach_1983.jpg
Does pole position win at Long Beach?
The pole sitter has won 4 of 8 races here (50%). Across all circuits since 1950 the pole sitter wins 44% of races. The winner started from the front row (P1 or P2) in 7 of 8 races (88%) and from the top three in 7 (88%). Lowest grid position to win: 22nd, John Watson in 1983.
| Winner started from | Wins | Share |
|---|---|---|
| P1 | 4 | 50% |
| P2 | 3 | 38% |
| P11 or lower | 1 | 13% |
Where the winner started, every race at this circuit. Pole sitter means the driver who set the fastest qualifying time (first on the grid where no qualifying data exists); a grid penalty can move the pole sitter back, and that race still counts for them. Compare every circuit.