The Historic Formula 1 Challenge — which dominated the downtown streets in the 1970s and ’80s — will make its return to the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach next year, officials announced on Friday, Oct. 21.
The 2023 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach — slated to run from April 14 to 16 — will be headlined, as always, by the NTT IndyCar Series. The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the Super Drift Challenge, Robby Gordon’s SPEED/UTV Stadium Super Trucks and the Porsche Carrera Cup North America will again precede the main IndyCar event.
And now, the Historic F1 Challenge will see Formula 1 return as well.
While Formula 1 hasn’t run in Long Beach for decades, it remains the biggest type of racing internationally. Like IndyCar, Formula 1 features single-seat, open-wheel vehicles. But Formula 1 — which features race cars from Mercedes and Ferrari, among other manufacturers — allows more flexibility in vehicle designs and hosts competitions across five continents. IndyCar races take place in North America.
Grand Prix originally featured the F1 Challenge in 1976. It ran for eight years, and saw a star-studded list of winners — including Mario Andretti, Niki Lauda, Nelson Piquet, Clay Regazzoni and Gilles Villeneuve.
The historic challenge, as its name suggests, will feature cars from a bygone era.
Andretti’s John Player Lotus — which won him the challenge in 1977 — is expected to be in the field, according to a Grand Prix news release. Other famous F1 vehicles, including Andrea de Cesaris’ 1982 Alfa Romeo and Keke Rosberg’s Williams FW08, are also expected to participate.
“It’s going to be great to see these incredible machines back on the streets of Long Beach,” Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President and CEO Jim Michaelian said in the announcement. “For those of you who were here during those early years, it’s going to be very nostalgic and for those who weren’t, you’ll get a taste of what F1 was like back then.”
The event will be sanctioned by the Historic Motor Sports Association, the release said.
The F1 challenge will feature two 20-minute races, and will run Saturday and Sunday, April 15-16.
Grand Prix ticket prices vary. Enthusiasts can expect a $38 cost for a Friday general admission ticket. Three-day tickets cost $175. Pre-paid parking packages and other hospitality packages will also available for purchase starting Nov. 28.
Fans who attended the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in 2022 can renew their ticket orders for next year beginning Monday, Oct. 24.
More info about the Grand Prix is available at gplb.com.