FFormula 1 has finally hit the Strip with the Las Vegas Grand Prix being held in the early hours of Sunday morning, 41 years after the sport’s last visit to the city, when it got no further than the parking lot at Caesars Palace. Those races in 1981 and 1982 are only a footnote in F1 history, no trace remains of the circuit, but at least one driver still has good memories.
The 80s encounters couldn’t be in greater contrast to the all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza that F1 has organized this weekend through the heart of the city, including a huge straight Las Vegas Boulevard, the Strip, with all the sights, the Bellagio Fountains, Caesars, the Venetian, Paris, providing the backdrop F1 wanted for their showcase event.
In 1981, there was no collective agreement to host the race between the casinos, as is the case this year, nor city approval, so the circuit was squeezed into the Caesars Palace parking lot and adjacent grounds, which made the meeting its value gave. name of the Caesars Palace GP. The casino had taken four years to negotiate to host the race and spent a lot of money to build the track, but their limited space yielded an uninspiring rate.
The result, a flat, 14-turn, 3.5-kilometer counterclockwise course that looped back and forth on its own, was aesthetically uninspired and lacking any character or even landmarks. The city wasn’t at its best when the race was held in punishing heat on Saturday afternoon and conditions were less than flattering: Las Vegas undoubtedly looks its best at night.
The brutal series of corners without significant straights or even fast corners was a heavy burden for the cars but also for the drivers. Alan Jones, who had won the world championship for Williams in 1980, would master it that first year when it was the final race of the season and the championship decider.
“It was very hot and tiring and there were so many turns that a lot of people were suffering from neck pain, and I was one,” says Jones. “The last six or seven laps I went through a southpaw and my head fell to the right and I had to wait for the next righty to come back up.”
Jones had no intention of shouting for the title in that race, but the Australian, now 77 years old, wanted to win, in what would then be his final F1 race, after announcing he was would retire at the end of the race. The season. He also felt no inclination to do any favors to his teammate, Carlos Reutemann, who was battling Nelson Piquet for the drivers’ title.
Reutemann led by a point, but the Argentinian had reneged on an agreed deal during the second race of the season in Brazil and won at the expense of Jones. After qualifying second, Jones shot into the lead from the start and didn’t look back. He confidently won from Alain Prost in the Renault with a 20 second lead.
Reutemann, who had started from pole, suffered gearbox problems from the third lap and Piquet passed him on lap 17. The Argentinian dropped out of the points and Piquet took fifth place and the two points he needed for the title.
Piquet climbed out of his Brabham and was harassed, after which he fainted from heat exhaustion. Jones had no love lost with the Brazilian after their title battle last year and remembers his antics in Las Vegas as overly dramatic. “As far as the exhaustion and the heat, it’s funny when the race stops and you get out of the car, everything goes back to normal,” he says. ‘Of course Piquet continued, fainted and screamed for doctors…’
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The race is not remembered fondly by many, but Jones believes the meeting deserves a little better. “I don't know who to criticize, probably all those rare experts who have never driven a car in their lives,” he says. “I have driven on circuits that are just as tight as in Europe. it was quite technical to race.”
Jones always took his profession seriously and had only succumbed to the temptations of the city when he stepped out of the car a winner. “I was there to do a job and that was 100% what I had to do,” he says. “So I didn't enjoy some of the benefits, well, not until that night. I can't tell you what I did, but we had a little party.”
The race continued for another year. It had not attracted the expected attention and was losing money. Where the track used to be is now the Forum shopping center, part of Caesars Palace, but at least the last victory of Jones' career remains firmly etched in the memory.
“There was quite a large crowd, there was a good atmosphere, I enjoyed it immensely, I enjoyed the whole thing. Especially winning it,” he says wryly.