Grand Prix Masters
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Grand Prix Masters is a one-make motor racing series featuring retired Formula One drivers. The first race event, at the Kyalami circuit in South Africa took place on 11-13 November 2005. Nigel Mansell is a driver and financial stakeholder in the series.
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[edit] Drivers
Drivers in the series include Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Emerson Fittipaldi, Alan Jones, Andrea De Cesaris, Patrick Tambay, Riccardo Patrese, Derek Warwick, René Arnoux, Stefan Johansson, Jan Lammers, Hans-Joachim Stuck, Christian Danner, Alex Caffi, Eliseo Salazar, Pierluigi Martini, and Eric van de Poele.
[edit] Car
All participants race identical open wheel cars, which are based on 1999 Reynard Champ cars. The chassis are built by English constructor Delta Motorsport [1], and are powered by naturally aspirated 80-degree 3.5-litre V8 engines produced by Nicholson McLaren. The engines are based on the Cosworth XB engines previously used in Indycar (and CART thereafter) racing, and according to the series organisers produce more than 650bhp at 10,400rpm with over 320lbft torque at 7,800rpm.
Gearbox operation is fully manual, and controlled by a contemporary paddle shift arrangement.
Grand Prix Masters promoters boast the 650kg cars will reach 200mph. They claim that the combination of stable aerodynamics and considerably simpler technology than is in use in modern Formula One will better demonstrate driver skill and promote overtaking. Electronic 'drivers aids' (such as traction control, power steering and ABS) are absent, and brakes are made of steel rather than carbon (as is used for many contemporary single seater race cars) to increase braking distances.
[edit] Concept
Grand Prix Masters is modelled on the lucrative seniors tours of golf and tennis. Drivers must have competed in Formula One, and be 45 years of age or older to compete.
This year the series will expand beyond the one race to a five race mini series.
[edit] Controversy
There have been questions surrounding the fitness of the former Formula One stars who will race in the series. Participant Christian Danner questioned the ability of 1980 World Champion Alan Jones and former GP winner Patrick Tambay in particular, given the rapid expansion of these drivers' waistlines since retiring from racing. Jones hit back claiming the only time Danner had seen a Grand Prix podium was when he passed it on the way to the lavatory. Jones' highly embarrassing lack of fitness at the first GP Masters event would suggest Danner's assessment was correct.
Alain Prost had been scheduled to take part in the first GP Masters event but pulled out. He was rumoured to be unwilling to participate unless he was sure he could beat Mansell, and at his current level of fitness, was unsure.
[edit] On track
The Grand Prix Masters car first ran in late-September 2005 in the hands of Delta Motorsport [2] Operations Director Simon Dowson. He reported a successful shakedown, despite appearing to sit very high in the car, his helmet appearing to sit level with the top of the roll-over hoop.
In mid-October 2005 Nigel Mansell and René Arnoux tested the car at the Pembrey Circuit in South Wales.
26 October 2005 saw the first multi-car test for Grand Prix Masters with de Cesaris, Mansell, Johansson, Warwick, Caffi, Stuck, Tambay and Danner running at the Silverstone circuit in England.
De Cesaris was fastest, Danner slowest while Tambay crashed.
[edit] First race
The first event took place at Kyalami in South Africa on 13 November 2005. Nigel Mansell took pole then won after battling hard with Emerson Fittipaldi. Riccardo Patrese was third. Andrea de Cesaris finished fourth after a storming drive, where he pushed past Derek Warwick. Stefan Johansson spun out early on. Jacques Laffite retired with damaged right-front suspension after colliding with René Arnoux. As predicted, Alan Jones proved hugely unfit. In practice he was up to ten seconds off the pace of Mansell, before pulling out of the race to save face. The official reason offered was that Jones had injured his portly neck. He was replaced by Eliseo Salazar, a driver of considerably lesser achievement.
[edit] 2006 calendar
In January 2006 GP Masters announced it will hold events in the following venues:
- Losail (Qatar), 29th April
- Monza, May 5, cancelled due to noise limits Confirmation of the cancellation of the Monza round of GP Masters
- Silverstone (UK), 13 August
- Kyalami (South Africa) NB: possible switch to Durban, Scot Paulter talks to Grand Prix Masters Online12 November
Additional races were scheduled for 18 June and 1 October at unspecified venues, but these did not occur.
[edit] TV
Television deals have been announced with many countries showing live coverage. [1] In the UK, Murray Walker will continue to commentate on the series.
[edit] 2005 Result
13 November 2005, Kyalami, South Africa
| Rank | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigel Mansell | Team Altech | 50:55.154 | |
| 2 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Team LG | 50:55.562 | + 0.408 |
| 3 | Riccardo Patrese | Team Goldpfeil | 51:15.816 | + 20.662 |
| 4 | Andrea De Cesaris | Team Unipart | 51:16.854 | + 21.700 |
| 5 | Derek Warwick | Team Lixxus | 51:17.007 | + 21.853 |
| 6 | Hans Joachim Stuck | Team Phantom | 51:18.355 | + 23.201 |
| 7 | Christian Danner | Team Unipart | 51:19.272 | + 24.118 |
| 8 | Eddie Cheever | Team Altech | 51:27.359 | + 32.205 |
| 9 | Jan Lammers | Team LG | 51:27.932 | + 32.778 |
| 10 | Eliseo Salazar | Team Altech | 51:38.573 | + 43.419 |
| 11 | Patrick Tambay | Team Lixxus | 52:06.738 | + 1'11.584 |
| 12 | René Arnoux | Team Golden Palace | 52:07.890 | + 1'12.736 |
| 13 | Jacques Laffite | Team GMF | 43:44.471 | 17 laps (DNF) |
| 14 | Stefan Johansson | Team Phantom | 3:33.040 | 28 laps (DNF) |
[edit] 2006 Result
| Rank | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigel Mansell | Team Altech | 52:06.000 | |
| 2 | Christian Danner | Team LUK | 52:06.562 | + 0.562 |
| 3 | Eric van de Poele | Team Golden People | 52:07.174 | + 1.174 |
| 4 | Eddie Cheever | Team Altech | 52:09.016 | + 3.016 |
| 5 | Derek Warwick | Team Lixxus | 52:09.420 | + 3.420 |
| 6 | Pierluigi Martini | Team Global | 52:11.710 | + 5.710 |
| 7 | Jan Lammers | Team LG | 52:13.044 | + 7.044 |
| 8 | Stefan Johansson | Team Altech | 52:14.339 | + 8.339 |
| 9 | René Arnoux | Team Golden People | 52:15.068 | + 9.068 |
| 10 | Riccardo Patrese | Team INA | 52:15.423 | + 9.423 |
| 11 | Patrick Tambay | Team Lixxus | 52:21.506 | + 15.506 |
| 12 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Team LG | 52:35.788 | + 29.788 |
| 13 | Andrea de Cesaris | Team INA | 33:29.621 | 8 laps |
| 14 | Eliseo Salazar | Team Phantom | 52:22.127 | 11 laps |
| 15 | Hans Joachim Stuck | Team Phantom | 9:28.882 | 19 laps |
August 13, 2006, Silverstone, England
| Rank | Driver | Team | Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eddie Cheever | Team GPM | 1:01:06.625 | |
| 2 | Eric van de Poele | Team Golden Palace | 1:01:25.302 | + 16.677 |
| 3 | Christian Danner | Team LUK | 1:01:45.180 | + 36.555 |
| 4 | Hans Joachim Stuck | Team Phantom | 1:02:02.139 | + 53.514 |
| 5 | Alex Caffi | Team Altech | 1:02:11.648 | + 1:03.623 |
| 6 | Riccardo Patrese | Team INA | 1:02:15.492 | + 1:06.867 |
| 7 | Pierluigi Martini | Team Motorola | 1:02:54.980 | + 1:46.355 |
| 8 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Team Altech | 1:01:13.217 | + 1 Lap |
| 9 | René Arnoux | Team Golden People | 1:01:55.250 | + 2 Laps |
| 10 | Andrea de Cesaris | Team INA | 1:01:34.298 | + 2 Laps |
| 11 | Patrick Tambay | Team Lixxus | 1:01:49.162 | + 3 Laps |
| 12 | Stefan Johansson | Team Virgin Radio/BP | 55:22.246 | + 4 Laps |
| 13 | Jan Lammers | Team LG | 34:44.025 | 13 laps |
| 14 | Eliseo Salazar | Team Phantom | 19:30.140 | 20 laps |
| 15 | Derek Warwick | Team Lixxus | 5:39.035 | 26 laps |
| 16 | Nigel Mansell | Team Altech | 31:44.608 | 26 Laps |
