The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, the city’s largest sporting event, will have some chill, Cali vibes when it returns to the city’s downtown this weekend — and could be the biggest ever in the race’s nearly 50-year history.
The 48th Grand Prix, which will run from Friday to Sunday, April 14-16, is looking to build on last year’s event, which was the most successful, race officials say. The Grand Prix has brought back one of its concerts and has implemented environmental sustainability measures. And it’s undergone something of a rebrand, being dubbed “Southern California’s 200-mph beach party.”
But the heart of the event will remain the same as always: Racing.
The NTT IndyCar Series will once again be the titular and marquee star, with drivers zipping around a 1.97 mile, 11-turn circuit through some of Long Beach’s most iconic landmarks at speeds — at up to 180 mph. The Grand Prix of Long Beach, on Sunday, is the third race of IndyCar’s 2023 season.
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 precede the main IndyCar event throughout the weekend.
And, for the first time in decades, the Historic Formula 1 Challenge will return to the Long Beach circuit.
Formula 1 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 only in North America.
The historic challenge, though, won’t be like the current D1. Rather, as its name suggests, the Long Beach challenge will feature cars from a bygone era.
Mario 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…
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