History of the F1 United States Grand Prix

The history of Formula One in the United States includes events at nine different venues, from the one-off race at the historic airport circuit in Sebring, Florida to two glorious decades among the fall colors of upstate New York to the most famous racetrack in the world—Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

After false starts, so to speak, at Sebring and Riverside, California, the US Grand Prix began a twenty-year October tradition in Watkins Glen, New York. Fortunately, by the time that event had outgrown the declining Glen circuit, British businessman Chris Pook had established Long Beach, California as "The American Monaco" and home of the USGP West. The short-lived Las Vegas race of the early '80s is remembered as much for deciding a World Driver's Championship in each of its two events as for its circuit laid out in a parking lot next to the Caesar's Palace hotel! Not to be outdone, Detroit, the home of the American motor industry, created its own F1 event beginning in 1982, known as the USGP East. A one-off race in sweltering Dallas and three street races in Phoenix completed a run of 33 consecutive years of Formula One in America. When the series returned at the start of the new millenium, the largest crowd ever in Formula One witnessed the first USGP at Indianapolis.

American drivers have made their mark on F1 with 50 participations, five Grand Prix wins and two World Championships. Uniquely, Mario Andretti's 1977 victory in Long Beach remains the only GP win by an American driver on American soil.