Phoenix Street Grid: A Formula One Experiment That Ended

Phoenix hosted its first Formula One Grand Prix on June 4, 1989, but the event struggled to find a local audience amidst a city grid that offered little challenge to the cars. The race ran for three years before being removed from the Formula One calendar, a decision driven by logistical failures and a lack of community support.

The city’s layout, characterized by one-mile blocks and 90-degree turns, created a course that did not fit the traditional twisting nature of Formula One. Former Mayor Terry Goddard noted that the streets were too flat and straight. He stated that the city initially smoothed the course too much, forcing crews to add bumps back in to create the spray that drivers expected.

Local enthusiasm for the European style of racing was limited, with many residents preferring NASCAR or IndyCar. In the 1990 race, an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 spectators attended the Grand Prix, while the nearby Chandler Ostrich Festival drew 75,000 people that same weekend. Businesses in the downtown area also complained about the disruption, with some threatening to sue the city over the congestion caused by the 2.3-mile track.

The 1989 race was further complicated by extreme heat and poor track preparation. Temperatures exceeded 100 degrees during the event, and the asphalt had not fully cured. Of the 26 drivers who started the race, only nine finished. The track surface deteriorated during the race, with drivers reporting that the pavement was breaking up in the final laps.

Phoenix native Eddie Cheever was the only American on the grid and finished in third place. He secured the podium after a brake failure in the final 10 laps while battling for second. Cheever, who had lived in Phoenix for less than a year as a child, described the win as a source of deep personal pride. He noted that his parents were also from Arizona, adding weight to his achievement.

Alain Prost won the 1989 race by nearly 40 seconds, with Riccardo Patrese finishing second. Following the difficulties of the first year, Formula One moved the Phoenix race to the start of the calendar for the 1990 and 1991 seasons. The city council had originally approved a five-year agreement with Formula One in January 1989, but the series ended the arrangement after the third race.