The Long Beach Street Circuit is a street circuit opened in 1975, located in Long Beach in California. The circuit hosts the Grand Prix of Long Beach in championships, such as IndyCar Series, IMSA SportsCar Championship. It also hosted races for Formula One, Formula E, Championship Auto Racing Teams, American Le Mans Series, and Rolex Sports Car Series.
History
The Long Beach Grand Prix was the brainchild of promoter Chris Pook, a former travel agent from England. Pook was inspired by the Monaco Grand Prix, and believed that a similar event had the potential to succeed in the Southern California area. The city of Long Beach was selected, approximately south of downtown Los Angeles. A waterfront circuit, near the Port of Long Beach was laid out on city streets, and despite the area at the time being mostly a depressed, industrial port city, the first event drew 30,000 fans. The inaugural race was held in September 1975 as part of the Formula 5000 series.
In 1976, the United States Grand Prix West was created, providing two grand prix races annually in the United States for a time. Long Beach became a Formula One event for 1976 and the race was moved to March or April. Meanwhile, the United States Grand Prix East at Watkins Glen International was experiencing a noticeably steady decline. Despite gaining a reputation of being demanding and rough on equipment, Long Beach almost immediately gained prominence owing much to its pleasant weather, picturesque setting, and close proximity to Los Angeles and the glitzy Hollywood area. When Watkins Glen was dropped from the Formula One calendar after 1980, the now-established Long Beach began to assume an even more prominent status.
Despite exciting races and strong attendance, the event was not financially successful as a Formula One event. The promoter was risking a meager $100,000 profit against a $6–7 million budget. Fearing that one poor running could bankrupt the event, Pook convinced city leaders to change the race to a CART Indy car event beginning in 1984. In short time, the event grew to prominence on the Indy car circuit and has been credited with triggering a renaissance in the city of Long Beach. The race was used to market the city, and in the years since the race's inception, many dilapidated and condemned buildings have been replaced with high-rise hotels and tourist attractions.
The event served as a CART/Champ Car race from 1984 to 2008, then became an IndyCar Series race event in 2009. The 2017 race was the 43rd running, and the 34th consecutive as an IndyCar race, one of the longest continuously running events in the history of American open-wheel car racing. On three occasions (1984, 1985 and 1987) the race served as the CART season opener. In seven separate seasons (1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993 and 1994), it served as the final race before the Indianapolis 500.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 race was canceled as part of the City of Long Beach's ban on events with estimated attendance of more than 250. The following year, as a preparatory measure for the pandemic's effects on the schedule, the race was moved from its traditional April date to September 26, and served as the season finale. With the rise of the Delta variant there were concerns from IndyCar and the event promoters that the race would have to be canceled for 2021 or run with an attendance cap, but the promoters and the city of Long Beach were able to work out a compromise on safety measures and rapid testing to allow the event to go forward with full capacity.
The Grand Prix returned to its traditional April date for the 2022 season.
On March 28, 2024, it was announced that former ChampCar owner Gerald Forsythe would buy a 50% stake in the Long Beach Grand Prix from the estate of the late Kevin Kalkhoven.
Circuit
The current race circuit is a temporary road course laid out in the city streets surrounding the Long Beach Convention Center. The convention center actually doubled as the pit paddock during the days of Formula One. The circuit also goes primarily over the former location of The Pike historic amusement zone. The track is particularly noted for its last section, a sharp hairpin turn followed by a long, slightly curved front straightaway which runs the length of Shoreline Drive. The circuit is situated on the Long Beach waterfront, and is lined with palm trees (especially along the front straightaway towards the Aquarium of the Pacific), making for a scenic track. Long Beach is classified as an FIA Grade Two circuit.
The circuit has undergone numerous layout changes since the race's inception in 1975. All iterations have featured a signature hairpin turn, main stretch along Shoreline Drive, and back stretch along Seaside Way or Ocean Boulevard. The first grand prix layout measured , and featured two hairpins, one at each end of the Shoreline Drive straightaway. In its early years, the starting line and the finish line were located on different sides of the course.
In 1982, the hairpin turn and the end of the main stretch (turn 1) was removed, and replaced with a 90-degree right turn, followed by 90-degree left turn. When the race became a CART series event, the layout was changed significantly. The final turn hairpin was moved to the east, closer to the pit entrance. Other slow chicanes and turns were removed. After a minor tweak to the layout in 1987, the track was shortened in 1992 by the removal of the Park Avenue loop. That created a longer Seaside Way back stretch and a faster run to the passing zone.
In 1999, due to new construction in the area, the turn one set of curves was removed, and replaced with the new fountain complex. Turn one now became a 90-degree left turn, leading into a roundabout around a fountain, and a series of three 90-degree turns. A year later, this segment was revised again, to create a longer straightaway leading to Pine Avenue. This course layout remains intact today.
In 2015, a modified version of the Grand Prix track was used during the Long Beach ePrix of the FIA Formula E Championship, which featured seven turns. The ePrix was held once again in 2016. In 2017, Formula E went to Brooklyn Street Circuit instead of there.
Layout history
Winners
IndyCar
IMSA
Events
Current
April
IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Long Beach IMSA SportsCar Championship Grand Prix of Long Beach Formula D Porsche Carrera Cup North America Stadium Super Trucks
October Formula D
Former American Le Mans Series American Le Mans Series at Long Beach (2007–2013) Atlantic Championship Series (1978–1982, 1989–2008) Champ Car World Series Grand Prix of Long Beach (1984–2007) Formula E Long Beach ePrix (2015–2016) Formula One United States Grand Prix West (1976–1983) GT America Series (2024–2025) GT4 America Series (2019) IMSA GT Championship (1990–1991) Indy Lights (1989–2001, 2009–2015) North American Touring Car Championship (1997) Pirelli World Challenge (2006–2018) Rolex Sports Car Series Grand Prix of Long Beach (2006) SCCA/USAC Formula 5000 Championship (1975) SCCA Formula Super Vee (1983–1988) Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race (1977–2016) Trans-Am Series (1987–1989, 1992–1993, 1996, 1998–2005)
Lap records The unofficial track record is 1:05.3095, set by Colton Herta in a Dallara DW12, during qualifying for the 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. As of April 2026, the fastest official race lap records at the Long Beach Street Circuit are listed as:
Category Time Driver Vehicle Event Grand Prix Circuit (2000–present): IndyCar 1:07.2359 Álex Palou Dallara IR-18 2022 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Champ Car 1:07.931 Sébastien Bourdais Lola B02/00 2006 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach CART 1:08.981 Bruno Junqueira Lola B02/00 2002 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach DPi 1:10.317 Sébastien Bourdais Cadillac DPi-V.R 2022 Grand Prix of Long Beach LMDh 1:11.503 Connor De Phillippi BMW M Hybrid V8 2023 Grand Prix of Long Beach LMP2 1:12.383 Patrick Long Porsche RS Spyder Evo 2008 American Le Mans Series at Long Beach LMP1 1:12.599 Marco Werner Audi R10 TDI 2008 American Le Mans Series at Long Beach Indy Lights 1:12.9009 Félix Serrallés Dallara IL-15 2015 Long Beach 100 LMH 1:13.828 Roman De Angelis Aston Martin Valkyrie 2026 Grand Prix of Long Beach DP 1:15.279 Dane Cameron Corvette Daytona Prototype 2016 BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix Formula Atlantic 1:16.058 Richard Philippe Swift 016.a 2006 Long Beach Formula Atlantic round LM GTE 1:17.215 Oliver Gavin Chevrolet Corvette C7.R 2019 BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix LMPC 1:17.244 Kyle Marcelli Oreca FLM09 2016 BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix GT1 (GTS) 1:17.415 Oliver Gavin Chevrolet Corvette C6.R 2008 American Le Mans Series at Long Beach Historic F1 1:18.055 Patrick Long Williams FW08C 2023 Long Beach Historic F1 race GT3 1:18.617 Raffaele Marciello Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo 2022 Grand Prix of Long Beach GT 1:19.511 Oliver Gavin Chevrolet Corvette C6.R 2013 American Le Mans Series at Long Beach Porsche Carrera Cup 1:19.660 Kay van Berlo Porsche 911 (992 I) GT3 Cup 2022 Long Beach Porsche Carrera Cup North America round SRO GT2 1:21.216 Aaron Farhadi Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo GT2 2024 Long Beach GT America round Trans-Am 1:22.030 Paul Gentilozzi Jaguar XKR 2003 Long Beach Trans-Am round IMSA GTP 1:22.256 Patrick Long Porsche 962 2022 Long Beach Historic IMSA GTP race Group 7 1:22.307 Kirt Bennett Shadow DN4 2017 Long Beach Can Am Challenge IMSA GTO 1:24.448 Craig Bennett Nissan 300ZX Turbo 2019 Long Beach Historic IMSA GTO/Trans-Am Invitational GT4 1:25.773 Isaac Sherman Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport 2024 Long Beach GT America round Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race 1:41.899 Frankie Muniz Scion FR-S 2016 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race Stadium Super Trucks 1:44.939 Matthew Brabham Stadium Super Truck 2019 Long Beach SST round Formula E Circuit: (2015–2016) Formula E 0:57.938 Sébastien Buemi Renault Z.E 15 2016 Long Beach ePrix Grand Prix Circuit (1999): CART 1:02.779 Juan Pablo Montoya Reynard 99I 1999 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Indy Lights 1:08.623 Felipe Giaffone Lola T97/20 1999 Long Beach Indy Lights round Grand Prix Circuit (1992–1998): CART 0:51.333 Bobby Rahal Reynard 98I 1998 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Indy Lights 0:57.190 Cristiano da Matta Lola T97/20 1997 Long Beach Indy Lights round Formula Atlantic 1:00.249 Jacques Villeneuve Ralt RT40 1993 Long Beach Formula Atlantic round Trans-Am 1:00.775 Tommy Kendall Ford Mustang Trans-Am 1996 Long Beach Trans-Am round Super Touring 1:06.731 Neil Crompton Honda Accord 1997 Long Beach NATCC round IMSA Supercar 1:10.248 Randy Pobst BMW M5 1995 Long Beach IMSA Supercar round Grand Prix Circuit (1984–1991): CART 1:08.5563 Mario Andretti Lola T900 1985 Long Beach Grand Prix Formula Atlantic 1:13.482 Jimmy Vasser Swift DB4 1991 Long Beach Formula Atlantic round IMSA GTO 1:15.172 Pete Halsmer Mazda RX-7 1991 IMSA Grand Prix of Long Beach Trans-Am 1:17.772 Scott Pruett Merkur XR4Ti 1988 Long Beach Trans-Am round IMSA GTU 1:20.478 Stu Hayner Dodge Daytona 1990 IMSA Grand Prix of Long Beach IMSA AAC 1:23.020 J. D. Smith Chevrolet Camaro 1991 IMSA Grand Prix of Long Beach Grand Prix Circuit (1983): Formula One 1:28.330 Niki Lauda McLaren MP4/1C 1983 United States Grand Prix West Grand Prix Circuit (1982): Formula One 1:30.831 Niki Lauda McLaren MP4B 1982 United States Grand Prix West Formula Atlantic 1:37.621 Geoff Brabham Ralt RT4 1982 Long Beach Formula Atlantic round Grand Prix Circuit (1975–1981): Formula One 1:19.830 Nelson Piquet Brabham BT49 1980 United States Grand Prix West Formula 5000 1:19.905 Tony Brise Lola T332 1975 Long Beach Grand Prix Formula Atlantic 1:27.232 Geoff Brabham Ralt RT4 1981 Long Beach Formula Atlantic round
References
External links
Grand Prix of Long Beach official website Map and circuit history at RacingCircuits.info