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| {{Short description|Motorsport track in the United States}} | |||
| {{Refimprove|date=December 2008}} | |||
| {{Redirect|Phoenix Grand Prix|the IndyCar race|Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix}} | |||
| ⚫ | {{Motorsport venue |
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| {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2016}} | |||
| ⚫ | |
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| ⚫ | {{Motorsport venue | ||
| Location = ], ], ] | | |||
| Image = ]<br>The track in ] and ]<br>]<br>The track in ] |
| Name = Phoenix Grand Prix Circuit | ||
| | Location = ], ], ] | |||
| | Image = ]<br>The track in ] and ]<br>]<br>The track in ] | |||
| ⚫ | | Coordinates = {{Coord|33|26|52.5|N|112|4|28.5|W|display=inline,title}} | ||
| Events = ] | | |||
| | Events = ]<br />'']'' (1989–1991) | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| |
| Capacity = 40,000 | ||
| |
| Broke_ground = February 1989 | ||
| | Opened = June 1989 | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| | Closed = March 1991 | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | | Layout1 = Grand Prix Circuit (1991) | ||
| Record_team = ]-] | | |||
| | miles_first = yes | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | | Length_km = 3.721 | ||
| | Length_mi = 2.312 | |||
| | Turns = 15 | |||
| ⚫ | | Record_time = 1:21.434 | ||
| ⚫ | | Record_driver = {{flagicon|BRA}} ] | ||
| | Record_car = ] | |||
| ⚫ | | Record_year = ] | ||
| | Layout2 = Grand Prix Circuit (1989–1990) | |||
| | Length_km2 = 3.800 | |||
| | Length_mi2 = 2.361 | |||
| | Turns2 = 15 | |||
| | Record_time2 = 1:31.050 | |||
| | Record_driver2 = {{flagicon|AUT}} ] | |||
| | Record_car2 = ] | |||
| | Record_year2 = ] | |||
| }} | }} | ||
| The ] ] was held on the '''Phoenix |
The ] ] was held on the '''Phoenix street circuit''' in ], between 1989 and 1991. It was held in ] by the Phoenix Civic Plaza and the ], prior to the introduction of the state's baseball stadium, ]. The United States Grand Prix lasted in Phoenix for three years, but was dropped without explanation by Formula One management. There were no further Formula One races in the US until the ] first held a ] in ]. | ||
| __FORCETOC__ | |||
| ==Summary== | ==Summary== | ||
| In 1986 former race car driver and businessman Guy Gonyea approached then Mayor ] about the possibility of the city of Phoenix hosting a round of the FIA Formula One World Championship in order to increase the city’s world-wide visibility as a major tourist destination. With the support of Goddard and city officials Gonyea conducted an extensive feasibility study, gaining the support of 37 of the city's leading business organizations including the Chamber of Commerce, the Fiesta Bowl collegiate football committee and Congressman ]. Having gained overwhelming support, Gonyea subsequently met in Paris, France with then President of the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) J-M Balestre and Bernie Ecclestone the head of the Formula One organization and presented plans for a race. Ecclestone was enthusiastic about the possibility of replacing the current Detroit Formula One Grand Prix and agreed for further meetings with Gonyea. A second meeting took place at the 1987 Detroit Grand Prix between Gonyea, Ecclestone, George Couzens, head of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), Burdie Martin, head of the Automobile Competition Committee for the US (ACCUS) and Chris Pook, Long Beach Indy Grand Prix race promoter. The "Phoenix Grand Prix Committee" was established to negotiate with Ecclestone the terms for hosting the event but one immediate problem was that Detroit had a valid contract to host the US Grand Prix until 1991.<ref>Bid for street race Mark Armijo Arizona Republic July 4, 1987 page 101</ref> However, in October 1988, Detroit refused to invest money into improving Grand Prix facilities demanded by Ecclestone and decided to run an ] event instead of Formula 1 in 1989. On January 13, 1989, the Phoenix City Council headed by mayor ] agreed to stage an annual Formula 1 race on a five-year contract. Phoenix City Council also voted to spend $9 million of taxpayers' money on race circuit infrastructure over the 5 years. It was well known to organizers that Phoenix can be very hot during summer, but nonetheless, Phoenix inherited the Detroit race's scheduled slot of June 4, 1989.<ref>New site for Grand Prix race, Observer Reporter Washington, associated press June 4, 1989</ref> The city had only 4 months to finish the {{convert|2.361|mi|km|3|abbr=on}} long circuit. This required fencing off and repaving the road surface, as well as building grandstands, garages for the pit crew, and other infrastructure. The project was so massive that local media joked that the city looked as if it were preparing for a ] invasion.<ref>The Phoenix New Times, The Less Than Grand Prix by Tom Fitzpatrick Wednesday, May 10, 1989</ref> | |||
| City of Detroit, which had a Formula One race on its streets from 1982 to 1988, lost the race in October of 1988 when city officials refused to invest more money in build the improved pits and garages that Formula One officials wanted for 1989 season. | |||
| Jack Long, a race promoter in Redondo Beach, Calif., who has the contract for the Canadian Grand Prix, then stepped up talks with the city of Phoenix and Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, Calif. Laguna Seca's chances eventually faded, because roads to the track could not handle large crowd size and the County of Monterey, which controls the track, had several stipulations, including an attendance cap. Jack Tevlin, special assistant to the Phoenix city manager, said that the city decided three years ago to hold a race to get global exposure and encourage economic development in the area. The suggestion came from Howard Pynn, a Scottsdale businessman and race fan. On Jan. 13 1989, the Phoenix City Council approved a five-year contract with Jack Long and Bernie Ecclestone F1 commercial rights holder to promote and run the race, with the first one set for June 4 1989. Phoenix city council also voted to spend 9 million dollars of tax payer's money on race circuit infrastructure over the 5 years. It was well known to organizers that Phoenix can be very hot during summer but Phoenix inherited the Detroit's scheduled spot of June the 4th. <ref>The New York Times, Joseph Siano January 30, 1989.</ref><ref>New site for grand prix race,Observer Reporter Washington, associated press June 4th 1989</ref> City of Phoenix had only 4 months to finish the 2.36 mile long circuit in time which required fencing off and repaving the road surface, building grand stands, garages for the pit crew and other infrastructure. Project looked so massive that local media made jokes if city is preparing for Soviet invasion.<ref>The Phoenix New Times, The Less Than Grand Prix by Tom Fitzpatrick Wednesday, May 10 1989</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | In the ] in 1989, ] took the pole in his ]-] but suffered an electronic failure a little over halfway through the race. The heat of the Phoenix desert was hard on teams and drivers, and only 6 of 26 cars finished. ], Senna's teammate, won the race<ref>, ''The Washington Post'', June 5, 1989</ref> ahead of ] and Phoenix native ]. | ||
| In an attempt to beat the scorching heat, the event date was changed to become ] ]. It was held on March 11, 1990. Senna won. ] finished 2nd. | |||
| ⚫ | ] took pole in his ]-] but suffered an electronic failure a little over halfway through the race. The |
||
| ⚫ | The ] United States Grand Prix held in Phoenix was on March 10, 1991, with Senna again claiming victory in a modified layout reducing the length to {{convert|2.312|mi|km|3|abbr=on}}. Again reliability was a factor, with only nine cars still running at the end of the race. For a second straight season both Tyrrells finished in the points; ], who had replaced the ]-bound Alesi, in fourth heading Nakajima in fifth. | ||
| In an attempt to beat the scorching Arizona heat, the event was moved to become the season opener the next year, held on March 11, 1990. Senna recovered from his near miss in '89 to win the Grand Prix. ] finished 2nd, making his mark as a driver to watch in the future as he pressured the Brazilian world champion in a ], a car that was average at best compared to the McLaren. Alesi's teammate, ], also scored a point in that race. The event was the only time a ] made it onto the front row of the grid, as ] qualified 2nd behind ]. | |||
| ==Cancellation== | |||
| ⚫ | The last United States Grand Prix held in Phoenix was on March 10, 1991 |
||
| On August 22, 1991, Bernie Ecclestone faxed a message to the City of Phoenix indicating that the Formula 1 race would be held there on March 15, 1992.<ref>Formula one official insists firmly race will return, Mark Armijo, The Arizona Republic, August 24, 1991 page E6</ref> On September 21, 1991, the City of Phoenix hired Buddy Jobe, the owner of ] to be consultant for the city for the next event.<ref>Drivers catch pennant fever, Mark Armijo The Arizona republic, September 21, 1991 page E7</ref> On October 7, 1991, however, Ecclestone called the City of Phoenix from his London office to say that Formula 1 would not be returning to Phoenix, giving no explanation as to why. Phoenix City Manager David Garcia said that Ecclestone agreed to pay the city $1.2 million for cancellation of the contract, and that the reason for cancellation may have been a desire to add a ] since ] had ended.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=932&dat=19911007&id=k5omAAAAIBAJ&sjid=q1MDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5884,4701482&hl=en|title=Phoenix may lose Formula One auto race|date=October 7, 1991|newspaper=Kingman Daily Miner}}</ref> During the ], Ecclestone was asked whether poor attendance was to blame for the cancellation of the Phoenix race; Ecclestone replied that the issue was not the lack of spectators, but "the inability to put more than 20,000 seats in a position where people could see a small part of the race".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/december-1996/26/forlorn-usa |title=Forlorn In The USA? |date=December 26, 1996 |work=] |access-date=April 14, 2018}}</ref> | |||
| ==Legacy== | |||
| On August 12, 2017 new Formula 1 boss ] criticized Ecclestone for going for too many short term deals in the USA, stating "You have to capture people’s imagination. You don’t do that with Phoenix, but in New York or Miami."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.planetf1.com/news/carey-on-f1s-us-future-capture-peoples-imagination/|title=Carey on F1's US future: Capture the imagination|website=www.planetf1.com|access-date=August 13, 2017}}</ref> In May 2019, ] resident Eric Schultz commissioned a mural of ] to be painted by artist Mallory Dawn on Central Avenue, 1 km south of the former circuit, to honor his two wins there. The mural depicts Senna looking north towards the track's former location. | |||
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| *] |
* ] – a planned ] race to be held on a different street circuit in Phoenix | ||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
| {{reflist}} | |||
| <references/> | |||
| {{Formula One circuits}} | {{Formula One circuits}} | ||
| ⚫ | {{Coord|33|26|52.5|N|112|4|28.5|W|display=title}} | ||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Phoenix Street Circuit}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Phoenix Street Circuit}} | ||
Latest revision as of 13:18, 27 May 2024
Motorsport track in the United States "Phoenix Grand Prix" redirects here. For the IndyCar race, see Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix.
 The track in 1989 and 1990  The track in 1991 | |
| Location | Phoenix, Arizona, United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 33°26′52.5″N 112°4′28.5″W / 33.447917°N 112.074583°W / 33.447917; -112.074583 |
| Capacity | 40,000 |
| Broke ground | February 1989 |
| Opened | June 1989 |
| Closed | March 1991 |
| Major events | Formula One United States Grand Prix (1989–1991) |
| Grand Prix Circuit (1991) | |
| Length | 2.312 miles (3.721 km) |
| Turns | 15 |
| Race lap record | 1:21.434 ( Ayrton Senna, McLaren MP4/6, 1991) |
| Grand Prix Circuit (1989–1990) | |
| Length | 2.361 miles (3.800 km) |
| Turns | 15 |
| Race lap record | 1:31.050 ( Gerhard Berger, McLaren MP4/5B, 1990) |
The Formula One United States Grand Prix was held on the Phoenix street circuit in Phoenix, Arizona, between 1989 and 1991. It was held in downtown by the Phoenix Civic Plaza and the America West Arena, prior to the introduction of the state's baseball stadium, Bank One Ballpark. The United States Grand Prix lasted in Phoenix for three years, but was dropped without explanation by Formula One management. There were no further Formula One races in the US until the Indianapolis Motor Speedway first held a Grand Prix in 2000.
Summary
In 1986 former race car driver and businessman Guy Gonyea approached then Mayor Terry Goddard about the possibility of the city of Phoenix hosting a round of the FIA Formula One World Championship in order to increase the city’s world-wide visibility as a major tourist destination. With the support of Goddard and city officials Gonyea conducted an extensive feasibility study, gaining the support of 37 of the city's leading business organizations including the Chamber of Commerce, the Fiesta Bowl collegiate football committee and Congressman Jon Kyl. Having gained overwhelming support, Gonyea subsequently met in Paris, France with then President of the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) J-M Balestre and Bernie Ecclestone the head of the Formula One organization and presented plans for a race. Ecclestone was enthusiastic about the possibility of replacing the current Detroit Formula One Grand Prix and agreed for further meetings with Gonyea. A second meeting took place at the 1987 Detroit Grand Prix between Gonyea, Ecclestone, George Couzens, head of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), Burdie Martin, head of the Automobile Competition Committee for the US (ACCUS) and Chris Pook, Long Beach Indy Grand Prix race promoter. The "Phoenix Grand Prix Committee" was established to negotiate with Ecclestone the terms for hosting the event but one immediate problem was that Detroit had a valid contract to host the US Grand Prix until 1991. However, in October 1988, Detroit refused to invest money into improving Grand Prix facilities demanded by Ecclestone and decided to run an Indy car event instead of Formula 1 in 1989. On January 13, 1989, the Phoenix City Council headed by mayor Terry Goddard agreed to stage an annual Formula 1 race on a five-year contract. Phoenix City Council also voted to spend $9 million of taxpayers' money on race circuit infrastructure over the 5 years. It was well known to organizers that Phoenix can be very hot during summer, but nonetheless, Phoenix inherited the Detroit race's scheduled slot of June 4, 1989. The city had only 4 months to finish the 2.361 mi (3.800 km) long circuit. This required fencing off and repaving the road surface, as well as building grandstands, garages for the pit crew, and other infrastructure. The project was so massive that local media joked that the city looked as if it were preparing for a Soviet invasion.
In the inaugural race in 1989, Ayrton Senna took the pole in his McLaren-Honda but suffered an electronic failure a little over halfway through the race. The heat of the Phoenix desert was hard on teams and drivers, and only 6 of 26 cars finished. Alain Prost, Senna's teammate, won the race ahead of Riccardo Patrese and Phoenix native Eddie Cheever.
In an attempt to beat the scorching heat, the event date was changed to become the season opener the next year. It was held on March 11, 1990. Senna won. Jean Alesi finished 2nd.
The last United States Grand Prix held in Phoenix was on March 10, 1991, with Senna again claiming victory in a modified layout reducing the length to 2.312 mi (3.721 km). Again reliability was a factor, with only nine cars still running at the end of the race. For a second straight season both Tyrrells finished in the points; Stefano Modena, who had replaced the Ferrari-bound Alesi, in fourth heading Nakajima in fifth.
Cancellation
On August 22, 1991, Bernie Ecclestone faxed a message to the City of Phoenix indicating that the Formula 1 race would be held there on March 15, 1992. On September 21, 1991, the City of Phoenix hired Buddy Jobe, the owner of Phoenix International Raceway to be consultant for the city for the next event. On October 7, 1991, however, Ecclestone called the City of Phoenix from his London office to say that Formula 1 would not be returning to Phoenix, giving no explanation as to why. Phoenix City Manager David Garcia said that Ecclestone agreed to pay the city $1.2 million for cancellation of the contract, and that the reason for cancellation may have been a desire to add a South African Grand Prix since apartheid had ended. During the 1992 South African Grand Prix, Ecclestone was asked whether poor attendance was to blame for the cancellation of the Phoenix race; Ecclestone replied that the issue was not the lack of spectators, but "the inability to put more than 20,000 seats in a position where people could see a small part of the race".
Legacy
On August 12, 2017 new Formula 1 boss Chase Carey criticized Ecclestone for going for too many short term deals in the USA, stating "You have to capture people’s imagination. You don’t do that with Phoenix, but in New York or Miami." In May 2019, Scottsdale, Arizona resident Eric Schultz commissioned a mural of Ayrton Senna to be painted by artist Mallory Dawn on Central Avenue, 1 km south of the former circuit, to honor his two wins there. The mural depicts Senna looking north towards the track's former location.
See also
- Grand Prix Arizona – a planned Champ Car race to be held on a different street circuit in Phoenix
References
- Bid for street race Mark Armijo Arizona Republic July 4, 1987 page 101
- New site for Grand Prix race, Observer Reporter Washington, associated press June 4, 1989
- The Phoenix New Times, The Less Than Grand Prix by Tom Fitzpatrick Wednesday, May 10, 1989
- "Prost Gains 1st Victory of Year; Wins Phoenix Grand Prix", The Washington Post, June 5, 1989
- Formula one official insists firmly race will return, Mark Armijo, The Arizona Republic, August 24, 1991 page E6
- Drivers catch pennant fever, Mark Armijo The Arizona republic, September 21, 1991 page E7
- "Phoenix may lose Formula One auto race". Kingman Daily Miner. October 7, 1991.
- "Forlorn In The USA?". Motor Sport. December 26, 1996. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
- "Carey on F1's US future: Capture the imagination". www.planetf1.com. Retrieved August 13, 2017.