Long Beach is often regarded as one of the greatest street circuits in not just in North America, but in the world. Its fast sweepers, combined with tight typical street circuit 90-degree corners on a very bumpy surface produce some fantastic racing in IndyCar in the modern era. It will also play host to a Formula E race next year. However, Long Beach was home of the United States Grand Prix West in the late 70s and early 80s in F1, and it was a very popular event. The final of these Formula One races was held in 1983 and it set a record which still remains unbeaten to this day, and for the foreseeable future it is unlikely to be beaten. This is a flashback of the 1983 United States Grand Prix West.
The season prior, the 1982 Formula One season was one filled with controversy and unpredictable results. A total of 11 drivers won races that year with nobody winning more than two races. Keke Rosberg was the eventual champion but he was hoping for a smoother championship fight in 1983. Some claim that the 1983 season was even crazier than the season prior, with six different teams winning in the first seven races and the championship eventually being a fight between the Ferrari, Renault and Brabham teams, with Brabham’s Nelson Piquet and Ferrari taking the honours at the end of the year. It was a tough year for Rosberg in his Williams; his year yielded just one win – on the streets of Monte Carlo.
Only one race had been run prior to the race at Long Beach in 1983, the Brazilian Grand Prix. It was won by home favourite Nelson Piquet, with nobody in second place due to Keke Rosberg being disqualified and the position not being awarded. Niki Lauda in his McLaren finished third. The Long Beach track had been modified slightly, but it retained most of its iconic features. Qualifying was headed by the two Ferraris of Patrick Tambay and René Arnoux, the former being over a second clear of Rosberg in third place. Jacques Laffite in the second Williams was fourth ahead of an impressive Elio de Angelis in the Lotus. Perhaps even more impressive was Derek Warwick in the much improved Toleman in sixth. Alain Prost in the Renault was the highest placed Michelin runner in eighth ahead of local boy Danny Sullivan. The only other American, Eddie Cheever – Prost’s team mate could only manage 15th. Nelson Piquet could only manage 20th on the grid but as was the case in 1982, McLaren massively struggled in qualifying, and their drivers – John Watson and Lauda could only manage 22nd and 23rd respectively. Raul Boesel rounded out the 26 runners as the two Osellas of Corrado Fabi – brother of Teo and Piercarlo Ghinzani both failed to qualify. The bumps were an issue, and some teams felt that their suspension would only last a matter of laps before the car would be finished, so they were tended to for race day.
Tambay led from pole but both Williams passed Arnoux well before turn 1, with Rosberg tapping the Frenchman. Michele Alboreto and Sullivan in the Tyrrells found their way past Arnoux as well early into the first lap. Rosberg closed in on Tambay but he lost control of his Williams, pulled off one of the greatest 360-degree spins ever seen in Formula One and continued undamaged, superb car control from the Finn, he lost second place to Laffite but was able to carry on. Rosberg found his way past his team mate in the end and began to pursue Tambay once again. Derek Warwick’s impressive run ended on lap 11 when he spun off the track into retirement. By lap 18 he was on the gearbox of the Ferrari. Alboreto and Jean-Pierre Jarier in the Ligier tangled but both continued without hitting the barriers. By one third race distance, the McLarens were beginning their charge through the field and were lapping quicker than Tambay. At that point, they had already battled their way through the pack into seventh and eighth places, just outside of the points.
On lap 25 Rosberg attempted a pass into the hairpin, only for Tambay to shut the door, taking both out. Suddenly Laffite leads the race and both McLarens were in the points. The attrition began to increase drastically as Jarier’s Ligier, Mauro Baldi’s Alfa Romeo and Bruno Giacomelli’s Toleman both pulled off. At this point, Lauda was ahead of Watson but the Brit was closing in on the then-double World Champion before he finally made his way through with a superb outbraking manoeuvre. Riccardo Patrese who was running in second place had hit problems as had Arnoux so suddenly both McLarens were on for a podium finish. The McLarens continued their charge and Watson pulled another daring move to take the lead from Laffite. Before the replays had finished, Lauda had found his way through as well so from 22nd and 23rd on the grid, McLaren were now on for a fantastic 1-2 finish.
Patrese muscled his way past Laffite to take the final podium spot. Laffite was clearly struggling with his tyres now and he lost places to Arnoux and home favourite Cheever, with the Ferrari driver pulling off a spectacular double overtake, though Cheever didn’t give that position up and the two battled fiercely until the Renault driver’s gearbox expired. Patrese was on for a podium until a distributor problem forced him into retirement, which gifted Arnoux the third place. Watson won the Grand Prix from the lowest position ever – 22nd, and Lauda managed second from 23rd. Arnoux, Laffite, Marc Surer and Johnny Cecotto rounded out the points, the latter being the first time that a Venezuelan has scored points in Formula One. It was the fifth and final win for Watson, and the final Formula One Grand Prix to be held at Long Beach, and what a fantastic way to celebrate both.
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