ATLAS F1   Volume 6, Issue 38 Email to Friend   Printable Version
Atlas F1   America's Grand Prize
  by Karl Ludvigsen, England

Not long after he took over the editorship of "Car and Driver", David E. Davis, Jr. found himself sitting next to reigning world-champion driver Graham Hill on a flight from Florida to Indianapolis. The conversation went well until talk turned to the magazine itself. "Aren't you the chaps who wanted to call it 'Grand Prize' racing?" said an affronted Hill. "That was bloody awful, wasn't it?"

David could disown responsibility for this offense, one of the less-successful notions of yours truly. I was well aware that in non-English-speaking countries the local race to Grand Prix rules was identified in the native tongue, Grosser Preis von Deutschland for example. I was also aware that the races run in America to Grand Prix rules from 1908 to 1916 were called "Grand Prize". So as the bushy-tailed editor of "Car and Driver" I mounted a campaign to revive this designation. To the great irritation of my publisher and Graham Hill alike I went too far, using the term too much for all forms of GP racing. Later editors quickly jettisoned this aberration, but as the name of the American race it would still make excellent sense!

The revival of the United States Grand Prize (There I go again!) at Indianapolis is a historic event by any standards. Its irony is inescapable: Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George has utterly emasculated the once-great Indy 500-mile race, and at the same time he has paved parts of his huge infield to create a road course to bring Grand Prix racing back to America.

But now it's up to the Formula One gang to put on its very best show. Eddie Jordan said it all in his interview with Roger Horton: "We have a fantastic opportunity," he said. "We have a chance of a lifetime here, and we had better not lose it."

Formula One has some distinct advantages in this, its latest foray into the American market. The Indy tradition is of course compelling. At last some of the Grand Prix cars in the Speedway's great collection - including a 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 - will feel less lonesome. Americans are huge Ferrari fans; Indy won't resemble Monza, but there should be lots of red in the stands. Both Mercedes-Benz and BMW will put a lot of marketing muscle behind their entries, as will Jaguar and Honda.

The rest of the field will cause raised eyebrows and furrowed foreheads. Sauber? Prost? Jordan? Minardi? Americans will have heard of Benetton but will think more of knitwear than racing cars. Peugeots haven't been sold in the United States for years and neither have Renaults, let alone Supertecs and Fondmetals. Some explanations will be in order.

Bernie Ecclestone and FOCA like Indy because it has fine facilities, and it has built those that it didn't have. The Speedway's organizational skills should ensure a smooth-running event. Gone forever - except for Monaco - are the days when the circus could set up its tents at a temporary road course like Long Beach or Phoenix. Silverstone doesn't even measure up. Formula One didn't get the infrastructure support that it needed and deserved at Belle Isle in Detroit - in the heart of America's car industry. Now it's gone to the heart of America's motor-sports tradition instead. It should be quite a show.

Karl Ludvigsen© 2000 Kaizar.Com, Incorporated.
Send comments to: ludvigsen@atlasf1.com Terms & Conditions

Karl Ludvigsen's resume extends throughout the international automotive industry: he was Vice President of Ford of Europe, also responsible for Ford's European motor sports activity; He was the Vice President of Fiat Motors of North America; He was senior public affairs official with General Motors and previously a GM designer, where he planned experimental front-drive prototypes. In publishing and journalism, Mr. Ludvigsen has held editorial positions for several motoring publications. His work as author, co-author or editor of 17 books has won numerous awards. Among his books: "Juan Manuel Fangio" (1999), "Jackie Stewart: Triple Crowned King of Speed" (1998), and "Stirling Moss - Racing with the Maestro" (1997).
 Back to Atlas F1 Front Page   Tell a Friend about this Article