The first season of Formula 1 in 1950 consisted of seven races. The third race took place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The renowned Indianapolis 500 was included in the early years of the Formula 1 World Championship.
Alfa Romeo did not win the 1950 Indy 500 as they chose not to participate in the left-turn only event season held across the pond. Johnnie Parsons, a driver from California, became the first American to win a Formula 1 World Championship race by winning the Indy 500.
Including the Indy 500 in the Formula 1 World Championship from 1950 to 1960, with a field of 33 drivers per race, contributed to the United States having the highest number of drivers, 153, to start a Formula 1 race. The UK closely follows with 146 drivers.
The last time the Indy 500 was part of the Formula 1 World Championship was in 1960, and it was won by Jim Rathmann, another driver from California. Two years prior, Rathmann had also won the Race of Two Worlds at Monza.
The first Formula 1 Grand Prix in the United States occurred on December 12, 1959, serving as the season finale. Similar to Silverstone, the race took place at an Air Force base in Sebring, Florida. This race is most remembered for Bruce McLaren’s first victory.
Bruce McLaren held the record for being the youngest Grand Prix winner at the age of 22 until 2003, when Fernando Alonso surpassed it by winning his maiden victory at the Hungaroring while using Michelin tires that provided better performance than Michael Schumacher’s.
During the 1959 Sebring race, Jack Brabham secured the first of his three titles by pushing his Cooper-Climax across the finish line to fourth place.
The tradition of Formula 1 races in the United States began with the second United States Grand Prix in 1960. The race took place from the east coast to the west coast, specifically in Riverside, California, east of LA. Stirling Moss emerged as the winner driving a Lotus-Climax.
In 1961, the race returned to the east coast, this time in upstate New York at the picturesque Watkins Glen circuit located in the Finger Lakes region.
Innes Ireland, a man hailing from Scotland, achieved a brief moment of glory in his Lotus car, granting Colin Chapman’s team their initial triumph, only to be dismissed shortly after at the Earls Court Motor Show.
Chapman had his sights set on another Scottish driver, the younger Jim Clark. Clark did not disappoint and secured the Lotus team their second consecutive victory at the Glen in 1962.
Graham Hill achieved a remarkable feat by winning three consecutive USGP races from 1963 to 1965.
In 1966, Jim Clark propelled the 16-cylinder BRM to its sole triumph in Formula 1. The following year, he emerged victorious once again, this time with the Ford-Cosworth engine.
1968 marked Mario Andretti’s dazzling Formula 1 debut at Watkins Glen, where he claimed pole position in his Lotus. However, it was Jackie Stewart who ultimately emerged as the winner, driving Ken Tyrrell’s French-made Matra with a Ford-Cosworth engine.
The 1969 Grand Prix at Watkins Glen marked the beginning of a streak of three consecutive first-time winners in Formula 1. The first of these winners was Austrian Jochen Rindt, hailed as the King of Formula 2. Tragically, Graham Hill suffered severe leg injuries when he was ejected from his Lotus during the race.
In 1970, Emerson Fittipaldi, who had relocated from Brazil to England the previous year without any knowledge of the English language, secured his first victory in only his fourth Formula 1 start for Chapman’s team.
The charismatic Frenchman Francois Cevert achieved his first and only victory in the 1971 race driving for Tyrrell. Jackie Stewart triumphed once again in 1972.
The following year, Swedish driver Ronnie Peterson, representing Lotus, claimed victory and received the largest prize money in Grand Prix racing at that time, amounting to $50,000.
Unfortunately, the weekend was overshadowed by the tragic death of Stewart’s teammate Cevert on Saturday. The race was meant to be Stewart’s 100th and final start, but the Tyrrell team withdrew from the event.
Argentine driver Carlos Reutemann emerged as the winner in 1974, representing the Brabham team owned by Bernie Ecclestone.
Tragedy struck once more at the Glen when young Austrian driver Helmut Koinigg, driving for John Surtees, suffered a fatal crash.
Niki Lauda celebrated his first championship title by winning the season finale at Watkins Glen in 1975, driving for Ferrari. This marked Scuderia’s first Formula 1 success in the United States.
James Hunt stood atop the podium in 1976 and 1977, representing McLaren at the Glen.
Reutemann secured his second victory at the Glen in 1978, this time driving a Ferrari. Gilles Villeneuve emerged as the winner for Scuderia in 1979.
The 1980 US Grand Prix marked the final Formula 1 race at Watkins Glen. Italian driver Bruno Giacomelli achieved a memorable pole position for the newly established Alfa Romeo team. Australian driver Alan Jones, who had just been crowned world champion, emerged as the winner driving for Williams.
Chris Pook, an English travel agent, successfully organized the return of Formula 1 to the state of California. The race took place on the streets of Long Beach as Round 3 of the 1976 Formula 1 World Championship, known as the United States Grand Prix “West.” Clay Regazzoni, a Swiss driver who spoke Italian, showcased his exceptional skills from the pole position and led a Ferrari one-two victory over Niki Lauda.
In 1977, Mario Andretti, driving for Lotus, became the first and only American to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix on home soil. The following years, Ferrari drivers dominated the American races. In 1978, Carlos Reutemann won both the “East” and “West” Grands Prix, while Gilles Villeneuve achieved the same feat in 1979.
The 1980 USGP “West” saw Nelson Piquet emerge as the winner for Brabham, marking his first of 23 Grand Prix victories. However, the inaugural race in 1976 had a tragic outcome. Regazzoni, the winner of that race, suffered severe injuries and became paralyzed from the waist down due to a brake failure that caused him to crash into Ricardo Zunino’s parked Brabham. Alan Jones claimed victory in 1981 for Williams.
The 1982 race witnessed a surprising pole position by Andrea de Cesaris in his Alfa Romeo. Niki Lauda ultimately won the race after being convinced by Ron Dennis to come out of retirement. The final Formula 1 race in the streets of Long Beach occurred in 1983, a significant event for the major port city located just south of Los Angeles. McLaren drivers, John Watson and Lauda, made a remarkable comeback after a disappointing qualifying session, finishing first and second respectively.
In 1982, the United States hosted three Grands Prix races. The inaugural Detroit Grand Prix showcased John Watson’s impressive performance. Following the advice of Michelin Competitions Director Pierre Dupasquier, Watson changed his tire compound during a red flag period and managed to secure victory from the 17th position on the grid. Eddie Cheever, a local driver, secured second place in a Ligier, while Didier Pironi finished third for Ferrari.
The 1983 Detroit Grand Prix marked a significant victory for Italian Tyrrell driver Michele Alboreto, who gave Ford-Cosworth DFV its final triumph. The engine had initially debuted in the 1967 Dutch Grand Prix, where Jim Clark secured its first victory. Nelson Piquet, powered by a BMW turbo in his Brabham, emerged victorious in the 1984 race. His teammate Teo Fabi also stood on the podium in third place, while Elio de Angelis finished second for Lotus-Renault.
Keke Rosberg, driving for Williams-Honda, claimed victory in the 1985 race. Ayrton Senna then went on to win three consecutive races. In 1986, he triumphed with a Renault-powered Lotus, and the following year, he secured victory with a Lotus powered by Honda. Senna’s third and final win in the streets of Detroit came with the dominant McLaren MP4-4, powered by Honda once again.
The Grand Prix in Phoenix, Arizona, known for its scorching “but it’s a dry heat” climate, is most famously remembered for attracting fewer spectators than the Ostrich races in the same city. The Phoenix F1 festival, despite high hopes from Bernie and the local promoter, only lasted three editions and failed to meet expectations. The McLaren-Honda team emerged victorious in all three races.
In 1989, Professor Prost triumphed in Phoenix, with Riccardo Patrese finishing second for Williams and Eddie Cheever, a Phoenix native raised in Rome, taking third for Arrows. Senna secured back-to-back wins in 1990 and 1991.
The 1990 race, which served as the season opener, is particularly notable for the intense battle between Senna and newcomer Jean Alesi. Alesi briefly led the race in his Tyrrell before settling for second place. Throughout the years, Formula 1 races have been held in various locations, such as horse tracks (Aintree), airfields (Silverstone, Sebring, and Zeltweg), and street circuits in public parks (Monsanto and Montjuich). However, the Grand Prix race held in a casino parking lot was a unique and unsuccessful gamble.
The 1981 Caesar’s Palace Grand Prix marked the end of the season, with Piquet emerging as the lucky winner. His title rival, Reutemann, started the race from pole position but faded away, allowing Piquet to finish fifth and secure the championship by a single point. Alan Jones, Reutemann’s Australian teammate, emerged as the winner. The parking lot also hosted the season finale in 1982, where Alboreto claimed his first victory in his Tyrrell and Keke Rosberg became the first Finnish World Champion, despite only winning one race throughout the season.
The race in Phoenix marked the end of Mario Andretti’s illustrious Formula 1 career. Formula 1 would not return to the city until 2023 when media giant Liberty Media took charge and organized the Las Vegas Grand Prix. However, this one-time event was marred by issues, including the scorching heat, track deterioration, and cars on the track as early as 7 am. Jacques Laffite even showed up in his pajamas before the race. The race ended dramatically with Nigel Mansell pushing and collapsing near the finish line. Keke Rosberg emerged as the winner, with his Texan cowboy appearance adding to the spectacle.
Tony George, the individual who single-handedly ruined American open wheel racing in the mid-1990s, had one positive action. He revived Formula One not just in the United States but also at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
After numerous years of negotiations with Bernie, the 2000 United States Grand Prix occurred in Indianapolis. A road section within the infield was constructed, and the F1 cars also raced on the main straight and a portion of the area between Turn 1 and Turn 2, similar to the Indy 500 configuration.
A German software company called SAP served as the title sponsor. The race on September 24 had a significant turnout with approximately 250,000 spectators on Sunday. The roar of the F1 machines reverberating from the stands was truly extraordinary.
It turned into a celebration of Ferrari. David Coulthard led the first six laps in his McLaren, then it was Schumi dominating until lap 73, followed by his teammate, Rubens Barrichello. DC finished fifth and set the fastest lap of the race.
The 2001 race took place on September 30, only a few weeks after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Schumacher secured pole position but had to settle for second place behind Mika Hakkinen. David Coulthard in the second McLaren finished third. Juan Pablo Montoya set the fastest lap of the race in his BMW-powered Williams.
An all-Ferrari front row for the 2002 event. Schumacher completely controlled the race from pole position, while Barrichello set the fastest lap. On the 73rd and final lap, Schumacher attempted a Ford at Le Mans 1966-style formation finish and paid the price. The timing and scoring beacon recorded Barrichello winning the race by .01s. Coulthard finished third for McLaren.
In the 2003 US Grand Prix, Kimi Raikkonen started from pole position in his McLaren. Schumacher began in seventh on the grid and set the fastest lap on his way to victory. Kimi had to settle for second place while Heinz-Harald Frentzen claimed third place, marking the final podium appearance of his career.
Starting from the 2004 season, the US Grand Prix was moved to June, following the famous American classic known as the Indianapolis 500 on Memorial Day weekend. Barrichello secured pole position and set the fastest lap, but the Red Baron still managed to overtake him on lap 50 to claim victory. Takuma Sato finished third on the podium for BAR Honda.
The 2005 United States Grand Prix. A race that will be remembered for a long time. The day when Bibendum faced financial collapse. Formula One and politics go hand in hand, both on and off the racetracks around the globe. No need for any aerodynamic aids here.
After experiencing two tire failures on Toyota cars before the race, Michelin requested the addition of a chicane before the final fast corner. The French tire manufacturer even offered to arrange a Boeing 747 to bring a different type of tire.
Max Mosley, a skilled lawyer, stood firm and refused to give in. This resulted in only six cars participating in the US Grand Prix, as all the Michelin-equipped cars pulled into the pits after the formation lap. This included Jarno Trulli, who had secured pole position for Toyota. Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello easily secured a one-two finish for Ferrari.
The star of the race was Tiago Monteiro from Portugal. Driving for Jordan – Toyota, he couldn’t believe his luck when he became the first and, so far, the only Portuguese driver to stand on a Formula One podium. He continues to have a smile on his face to this day.
In 2006, chaos ensued on the first lap as cars maneuvered through turns one and two. Kimi Raikkonen was spun around by his McLaren teammate, Juan Pablo Montoya, who always seemed to be full of energy. Team boss Ron Dennis wasted no time in removing Monteiro from the team.
Starting from pole position, setting the fastest lap, and winning the race was Schumacher. His new Brazilian teammate, Felipe Massa, finished second. Giancarlo Fisichella secured third place for Renault. It was also a historic moment for Toro Rosso, as Vitantonio Liuzzi earned their first championship point in Formula One by finishing eighth.
The final Formula 1 race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway took place in 2007. It was an exceptional performance by the newcomer, Lewis Hamilton. The intense rivalry between Hamilton and his teammate, double world champion Fernando Alonso, was evident throughout the race.
Alonso, frustrated by the team’s refusal to favor him over the rookie, expressed his anger by driving close to the McLaren pit wall.
What was truly remarkable was that despite the turmoil within the McLaren team and the fierce battles between Hamilton and Alonso, the two drivers never recreated the infamous incidents of Rosberg and Hamilton in Barcelona 2016 or Senna and Prost in Suzuka. Giancarlo Fisichella finished third for Renault.
Today, the United States is once again home to three Grands Prix. Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas has been hosting the Grand Prix since 2012, replacing Watkins Glen, which had hosted 20 GPs, as the mainstay on the F1 calendar. This year marks the 12th edition of the race.
The Miami Grand Prix was added to the Formula 1 calendar in 2022. The thrilling action of the “circus” will take place around the Miami Dolphins Hard Rock Stadium for the third time this coming weekend. Last year, Las Vegas was also added to the F1 roster, making it three GP weekends in the United States.