Long Beach
California, USA · Historic venue
America's own Monaco — a street race through downtown Long Beach.
Circuit layout
Race historyAmerica's own Monaco — a street race through downtown Long Beach.
Circuit
- Circuit
- Long Beach
- Location
- California, USA
- Race laps
- 80
- First GP
- 1976
- Opened
- 1976
- Grands Prix
- 8
Last winner here
About Long Beach
Long Beach hosted the United States Grand Prix West from 1976 to 1983, run on public streets through the California city and explicitly modelled on Monaco. It was the first street circuit in the United States to hold a Formula 1 race and remains one of the best regarded.
The layout changed several times across its eight Grands Prix, but its character did not: concrete walls, tight corners, and a long straight along Shoreline Drive that provided the overtaking.
Formula 1 left after 1983 when the organisers switched to CART, which was cheaper to stage. The race has run continuously as an IndyCar event ever since.
Notable facts
- The first street circuit in the United States to hold a Formula 1 race, in 1976.
- Gilles Villeneuve took the last of his six Grand Prix wins here in 1981.
- Niki Lauda's first win after coming out of retirement came here in 1982.
- Formula 1 left after 1983; the race has run as an IndyCar event ever since.
Grands Prix by decade
8 races, every decade from the 1970s to the 1980s.
Most wins — drivers
Most wins — constructors
Every Formula 1 winner at Long Beach
8 World Championship Grands Prix have been held here between 1976 and 1983.
| Year | Grand Prix | Winner | Constructor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | United States West Grand Prix |  John Watson |  McLaren |
| 1982 | United States West Grand Prix |  Niki Lauda | McLaren |
| 1981 | United States West Grand Prix |  Alan Jones |  Williams |
| 1980 | United States West Grand Prix |  Nelson Piquet | BBrabham |
| 1979 | United States West Grand Prix | GVGilles Villeneuve |  Ferrari |
| 1978 | United States West Grand Prix |  Carlos Reutemann | Ferrari |
| 1977 | United States West Grand Prix |  Mario Andretti | LTeam Lotus |
| 1976 | United States West Grand Prix |  Clay Regazzoni | Ferrari |