Long Beach Street Circuit
 Grand Prix Circuit (2000–present) | |
| Location | Long Beach, California, USA |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 33°45′59″N 118°11′34″W / 33.7663890°N 118.1927780°WCoordinates: 33°45′59″N 118°11′34″W / 33.7663890°N 118.1927780°W Fatal error: The format of the coordinate could not be determined. Parsing failed. |
| Opened | 28 September 1975 |
| Major events | Current: IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Long Beach (1984–2019, 2021–present) IMSA SportsCar Championship Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (1990–1991, 2006–2019, 2021–present) Stadium Super Trucks (2013–2019, 2021–present) Formula D (2006–2019, 2021–present) Former: Formula E Long Beach ePrix (2015–2016) Formula One United States Grand Prix West (1976–1983) Pirelli World Challenge (2006–2018) Trans-Am Series (1987–1989, 1992–1993, 1996, 1998–2005) North American Touring Car Championship (1997) SCCA/USAC Formula 5000 Championship (1975) |
| Length | 1.968 mi (3.167 km) |
| Turns | 11 |
| Race lap record | 1:07.2359 ( Álex Palou, {{{record_team}}}, 2022, IndyCar) |
| Formula E Circuit (2015–2016) | |
| Length | 1.324 mi (2.131 km) |
| Turns | 7 |
| Race lap record | 0:57.938 ( Sébastien Buemi, {{{record_team2}}}, 2016, F-E) |
| Grand Prix Circuit (1999) | |
| Length | 1.824 mi (2.935 km) |
| Turns | 13 |
| Race lap record | 1:02.779 ( Juan Pablo Montoya, {{{record_team3}}}, 1999, CART) |
| Grand Prix Circuit (1992–1998) | |
| Length | 1.586 mi (2.552 km) |
| Turns | 9 |
| Race lap record | 0:51.333 ( Bobby Rahal, {{{record_team4}}}, 1998, CART) |
| Grand Prix Circuit (1984–1991) | |
| Length | 1.670 mi (2.687 km) |
| Turns | 13 |
| Race lap record | 1:08.5563 ( Mario Andretti, {{{record_team5}}}, 1985, CART) |
| Grand Prix Circuit (1983) | |
| Length | 2.035 mi (3.275 km) |
| Turns | 18 |
| Race lap record | 1:28.330 ( Niki Lauda, {{{record_team6}}}, 1983, F1) |
| Grand Prix Circuit (1982) | |
| Length | 2.130 mi (3.428 km) |
| Turns | 14 |
| Race lap record | 1:30.831 ( Niki Lauda, {{{record_team7}}}, 1982, F1) |
| Grand Prix Circuit (1975–1981) | |
| Length | 2.020 mi (3.251 km) |
| Turns | 13 |
| Race lap record | 1:19.830 ( Nelson Piquet, {{{record_team8}}}, 1980, F1) |
| Website | {{ |
The Long Beach Street Circuit is a street circuit opened in 1975, located in Long Beach in California. The circuit hosts the Grand Prix of Long Beach in championships, such as IndyCar Series, IMSA SportsCar Championship. It also hosted races for Formula One, Formula E, Championship Auto Racing Teams, American Le Mans Series, and Rolex Sports Car Series.
History
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The Long Beach Grand Prix was the brainchild of promoter Chris Pook, a former travel agent from England. Pook was inspired by the Monaco Grand Prix, and believed that a similar event had the potential to succeed in the Southern California area. The city of Long Beach was selected, approximately 25 mi (40 km) south of downtown Los Angeles. A waterfront circuit, near the Port of Long Beach was laid out on city streets, and despite the area at the time being mostly a depressed, industrial port city, the first event drew 30,000 fans. The inaugural race was held in September 1975 as part of the Formula 5000 series.[1][2]
In 1976, the United States Grand Prix West was created, providing two grand prix races annually in the United States for a time. Long Beach became a Formula One event for 1976 and the race was moved to March or April. Meanwhile, the United States Grand Prix East at Watkins Glen International was experiencing a noticeably steady decline. Despite gaining a reputation of being demanding and rough on equipment, Long Beach almost immediately gained prominence owing much to its pleasant weather, picturesque setting, and close proximity to Los Angeles and the glitzy Hollywood area.[1][2][3] When Watkins Glen was dropped from the Formula One calendar after 1980, the now-established Long Beach began to assume an even more prominent status.
Despite exciting races and strong attendance, the event was not financially successful as a Formula One event. The promoter was risking a meager $100,000 profit against a $6–7 million budget. Fearing that one poor running could bankrupt the event, Pook convinced city leaders to change the race to a CART Indy car event beginning in 1984. In short time, the event grew to prominence on the Indy car circuit and has been credited with triggering a renaissance in the city of Long Beach. The race was used to market the city, and in the years since the race's inception, many dilapidated and condemned buildings have been replaced with high-rise hotels and tourist attractions.[1][2]
The event served as a CART/Champ Car race from 1984 to 2008, then became an IndyCar Series race event in 2009. The 2017 race was the 43rd running, and the 34th consecutive as an IndyCar race, one of the longest continuously running events in the history of American open-wheel car racing. On three occasions (1984, 1985 and 1987) the race served as the CART season opener. In seven separate seasons (1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993 and 1994), it served as the final race before the Indianapolis 500.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 race was canceled as part of the City of Long Beach's ban on events with estimated attendance of more than 250.[4] The following year, as a preparatory measure for the pandemic's effects on the schedule, the race was moved from its traditional April date to September 26, and served as the season finale.[5] With the rise of the Delta variant there were concerns from IndyCar and the event promoters that the race would have to be canceled for 2021 or run with an attendance cap, but the promoters and the city of Long Beach were able to work out a compromise on safety measures and rapid testing to allow the event to go forward with full capacity.[6]
The Grand Prix returned to its traditional April date for the 2022 season.
On March 28, 2024, it was announced that former ChampCar owner Gerald Forsythe would buy a 50% stake in the Long Beach Grand Prix from the estate of the late Kevin Kalkhoven.[7]
Circuit
The current race circuit is a 1.968 mi (3.167 km) temporary road course laid out in the city streets surrounding the Long Beach Convention Center. The convention center actually doubled as the pit paddock during the days of Formula One. The circuit also goes primarily over the former location of The Pike historic amusement zone. The track is particularly noted for its last section, a sharp hairpin turn followed by a long, slightly curved front straightaway which runs the length of Shoreline Drive. The circuit is situated on the Long Beach waterfront, and is lined with palm trees (especially along the front straightaway towards the Aquarium of the Pacific), making for a scenic track. Long Beach is classified as an FIA Grade Two circuit.[8]
The circuit has undergone numerous layout changes since the race's inception in 1975. All iterations have featured a signature hairpin turn, main stretch along Shoreline Drive, and back stretch along Seaside Way or Ocean Boulevard. The first grand prix layout measured 2.020 mi (3.251 km), and featured two hairpins, one at each end of the Shoreline Drive straightaway. In its early years, the starting line and the finish line were located on different sides of the course.
In 1982, the hairpin turn and the end of the main stretch (turn 1) was removed, and replaced with a 90-degree right turn, followed by 90-degree left turn. When the race became a CART series event, the layout was changed significantly. The final turn hairpin was moved to the east, closer to the pit entrance. Other slow chicanes and turns were removed. After a minor tweak to the layout in 1987, the track was shortened in 1992 by the removal of the Park Avenue loop. That created a longer Seaside Way back stretch and a faster run to the passing zone.
In 1999, due to new construction in the area, the turn one set of curves was removed, and replaced with the new fountain complex. Turn one now became a 90-degree left turn, leading into a roundabout around a fountain, and a series of three 90-degree turns. A year later, this segment was revised again, to create a longer straightaway leading to Pine Avenue. This course layout remains intact today.
In 2015, a modified 1.324 mi (2.131 km) version of the Grand Prix track was used during the Long Beach ePrix of the FIA Formula E Championship, which featured seven turns. The ePrix was held once again in 2016. In 2017, Formula E went to Brooklyn Street Circuit instead of there.
Layout configurations
-
Grand Prix Circuit (1975–1977) -
Grand Prix Circuit (1978–1981) -
Grand Prix Circuit (1982) -
Grand Prix Circuit (1983) -
Grand Prix Circuit (1992–1998) -
Grand Prix Circuit (1999) -
Grand Prix Circuit (2000–present) -
Formula E Circuit (2015–2016)
Winners
IndyCar
IMSA
Events
- Current
- April: IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Long Beach, IMSA SportsCar Championship Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, Formula D, Porsche Carrera Cup North America, Stadium Super Trucks
- October: Formula D
- Former
- American Le Mans Series
- American Le Mans Series at Long Beach (2007–2013)
- Atlantic Championship Series (1978–1982, 1989–2008)
- Formula E
- Long Beach ePrix (2015–2016)
- Formula One
- United States Grand Prix West (1976–1983)
- GT America Series (2024–2025)
- GT4 America Series (2019)
- IMSA GT Championship (1990–1991)
- Indy Lights (1989–2001, 2009–2015)
- North American Touring Car Championship (1997)
- Pirelli World Challenge (2006–2018)
- Rolex Sports Car Series (2006)
- SCCA/USAC Formula 5000 Championship (1975)
- SCCA Formula Super Vee (1983–1988)
- Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race (1977–2016)
- Trans-Am Series (1987–1989, 1992–1993, 1996, 1998–2005)
Lap records
The unofficial track record is 1:05.3095, set by Colton Herta in a Dallara DW12, during qualifying for the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.[9] As of April 2025, the fastest official race lap records at the Long Beach Street Circuit are listed as:
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Miller, Robin (April 18, 1994). "Pook's innovative work made Long Beach a top road course (Part 1)". The Indianapolis Star. p. 11. Retrieved April 9, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Miller, Robin (April 18, 1994). "Pook's innovative work made Long Beach a top road course (Part 2)". The Indianapolis Star. p. 12. Retrieved April 9, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Kightlinger, Cathy (April 9, 2017). "Celebrity sightings add glitter to popular Long Beach race". IndyCar.com. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
- ↑ Glendenning, Mark (March 12, 2020). "Long Beach GP cancelled due to city-wide coronavirus measures". Racer. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
- ↑ Brown, Nathan (December 17, 2020). "IndyCar's Long Beach Grand Prix shifts to September as new season finale due to pandemic". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
- ↑ Journalist, Community (22 June 2021). "Start your engines: Long Beach Acura Grand Prix confirms September return with full crowds". ABC7. ABC. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
- ↑ Marshall Pruett (March 28, 2024). "Forsythe to buy remaining Long Beach stake; commits event to IndyCar". RACER. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
- ↑ "LIST OF FIA LICENSED CIRCUITS UPDATED ON : 2025-12-01" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 1 December 2025. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 "Long Beach - Motor Sport Magazine". Motor Sport Magazine. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "2022 IMSA Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach - Race Official Results (1 Hours 40 Minutes)" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). 12 April 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ↑ "2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach - Race Official Results (1 Hours 40 Minutes)" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). 19 April 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 "2008 Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach - ALMS Provisional Race Report" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). 19 April 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2022. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "2015 Long Beach Indy Lights". Motor Sport Magazine. 19 April 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ↑ "2025 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach - Race Results by Driver Fastest Lap" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). 12 April 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Long Beach 100 Minutes 2016". 16 April 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
- ↑ "2006 Formula Atlantic Long Beach". 9 April 2006. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ↑ "2019 BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix - Race Official Results (1 Hours 40 Minutes)" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). 16 April 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
- ↑ "2013 American Le Mans Series Long Beach". 20 April 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
- ↑ "2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach - Porsche Carrera Cup North America - Race 1 Official Results (40 Minutes)" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). 12 April 2022. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Long Beach Grand Prix - Apr. 19 - 21, 2024 / Long Beach, CA - GT America powered by AWS - Race 2 Provisional Results" (PDF). 21 April 2024. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
- ↑ "Trans-Am Series 2003 :: Race 2 results". 13 April 2003. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2024. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Stadium Super Trucks in Long Beach - Long Beach Grand Prix - SST Race 1" (PDF). 13 April 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
- ↑ "1999 Long Beach Grand Prix". Motor Sport Magazine. 18 April 1999. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ↑ "1999 Long Beach Indy Lights". Motor Sport Magazine. 18 April 1999. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ↑ "1998 Long Beach Grand Prix". Motor Sport Magazine. 5 April 1998. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ↑ "1997 Long Beach Indy Lights". Motor Sport Magazine. 13 April 1997. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ↑ "1993 Formula Atlantic Long Beach". 17 April 1993. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
- ↑ "1996 Trans-Am Long Beach". 14 April 1996. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
- ↑ "NATCC 1997 » Long Beach Street Circuit Round 2 Results". 13 April 1997. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ↑ "IMSA Supercar Long Beach 1995". 9 April 1995. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
- ↑ "1985 Long Beach Grand Prix". Motor Sport Magazine. 14 April 1985. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ↑ "1991 Toyota Atlantic Long Beach". 14 April 1991. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 "Long Beach 1 Hour IMSA GT 1991". 14 April 1991. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ↑ "1988 Trans-Am Long Beach". 16 April 1988. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ↑ "Long Beach 1 Hour IMSA GT 1990". 22 April 1990. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ↑ "Long Beach Toyota Long Beach Grand-Prix, April 3 Avril 1982". 3 April 1982. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
- ↑ "Long Beach, March 14 Mars 1981 Toyota Grand-Prix of Long Beach". 14 March 1981. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
External links
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References
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