Detroit Street Circuit

Detroit Street Circuit

Detroit , Michigan , USA
Route type:	temporary racetrack
Opening:	1982
Formula 1 venue :	1982-1988
Decommissioned:	1991
Track layout
Route data
Important events:	Formula 1 , IndyCar Series
Route length:	4.023  km (2.5  mi )
Curves:	18th
Records
Track record: (Formula 1)	1: 40.464 min. ( Ayrton Senna , Lotus-Honda , 1987)

Coordinates: 42 ° 19 '47.1 "  N , 83 ° 2' 24.4"  W.

Detroit Grand Prix Circuit

The Detroit Street Circuit was a 4.023-kilometer street circuit in Detroit , on which the US Grand Prix or the US East Grand Prix was held. Later races of the American Champ Car series took place there. The course was located near the Renaissance Center and the Cobo Hall . Highway M-1, also known as Woodward Avenue, was also part of the course.

history

With this course and the Grand Prix held on it, the international reputation of the city should be improved. In 1982, three Formula 1 Grand Prix were held in the USA with Long Beach , Las Vegas and Detroit. John Watson won the first Grand Prix in Detroit from 17th place on the grid. At the time, this was the worst starting position ever to win a Grand Prix. The following year, John Watson broke that record again when he won from 22nd on the grid in Long Beach.

The narrow track meant that many vehicles were eliminated from the races due to accidents. In the Formula 1 races, at least half of the starters were canceled in every race. The 1984 Grand Prix set a record with 20 drivers who did not see the finish line. Due to the later disqualification of a driver, this record was even broken a few months later.

From 1984 on, the Trans-Am series held a race as part of the Grand Prix program. That race, the Motor City 100, was considered one of the most important races on the Trans-Am calendar. In 1985 Detroit became the sole host of a Grand Prix in the USA. The most successful driver on this track was Ayrton Senna , who won three races in a row (1986-1988) and started from pole position once (1985).

However, the track was not very popular with drivers and was removed from the Formula 1 calendar in 1989 after the US Grand Prix moved to Phoenix . Detroit now received a race in the Champ Car Series for this. For the first three years, the race was held on the same track on which the Formula 1 races took place. Emerson Fittipaldi won in 1989 and 1991 and Michael Andretti in 1990. Michael Andretti was on pole position in all three races. In the 1991 race, unusually almost three quarters of the starting field crossed the finish line.

The race became economically but no longer viable for the city, and it switched to the Raceway at Belle Isle for the 1992 season . The Champ Car races were held there up to 2001 and the IndyCar Series races again since 2007 .

statistics

All winners of Formula 1 races in Detroit

No.	year	driver	constructor	engine	tires	time	Route length	Round	Ø pace	date	GP the
1	1982	John Watson	McLaren	ford	M.	1: 58: 41.043 h	4.023 km	62	126.096 km / h	06th of June	USA East
2	1983	Michele Alboreto	Tyrrell	ford	G	1: 50: 53.669 h	4.023 km	60	130.599 km / h	0June 5th	United States
3	1984	Nelson Piquet	Brabham	BMW	M.	1: 54: 41.842 h	4.023 km	63	132.583 km / h	June 24th	USA East
4th	1985	Keke Rosberg	Williams	Honda	G	1: 55: 39.851 h	4.023 km	63	131.474 km / h	23rd June
5	1986	Ayrton Senna	lotus	Renault	G	1: 51: 12.847 h	4.023 km	63	136.735 km / h	June 22
6th	1987	Ayrton Senna	lotus	Honda	G	1: 50: 16.358 h	4.023 km	63	137.903 km / h	June 21st	United States
7th	1988	Ayrton Senna	McLaren	Honda	G	1: 54: 56.035 h	4.023 km	63	132.310 km / h	June 19th

Record winner
Driver: Ayrton Senna (3) • Driver nations: Brazil (4) • Constructors: Lotus / McLaren (2 each) • Engine manufacturer: Honda (3) • Tire manufacturer: Goodyear (5)

See also

• List of IndyCar / ChampCar racetracks
• List of motorsport racetracks

Web links

Commons : Detroit Street Circuit  - Collection of Images, Videos, and Audio Files