F1 retro gallery: U.S. Grand Prix winners - 1981-2013

From Sebring, Fla., to Riverside, Calif. in its first two years, the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix finally established itself at Watkins Glen from 1961 until 1980. By then, a new venue had been found on the West Coast – the streets of Long Beach. Then came Las Vegas (’81-’82) and Detroit (’82-’88) while Long Beach switched to Indy cars in ’84, the year Dallas had its one-off fling with F1. Phoenix replaced Detroit to muted reception (’89-]91) and then for eight straight seasons, nothing.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway became the USGP's new home for seven glorious years and one shameful one (remember the six-car fiasco of 2005?) through no fault of IMS. Since 2012, F1 has visited Circuit of The Americas, and has been a success, at least in terms of crowd numbers. We hope it will thrive.

(ABOVE) In 1981, Alan Jones led from Turn 1 to checkered flag in Formula 1's first trip to the Caesar's Palace parking lot in Las Vegas. (Sounds real glam, doesn't it?). It was the final race of the season and final grand prix of Jones' career… until he made a comeback with Arrows in ’83 and Beatrice Haas in ’85/’86. Here, Jones' polesitting Williams teammate and championship leader Carlos Reutemann has already dropped to fourth and would eventually be overtaken by Nelson Piquet, allowing the Brabham driver to claim his first World Championship.

(BELOW) Jones had already won in America that year, claiming victory in Long Beach. That same venue the following year was the site of Niki Lauda's first win for McLaren (BOTTOM), after making his F1 comeback just two rounds earlier. Form is temporary, class is permanent.

In 1982, America had three grands prix, but while it was Lauda who won Long Beach, it was McLaren teammate John Watson (ABOVE) who claimed victory in F1's first visit to Detroit, having clawed his way through the field from 17th on the grid. A year later, he'd pull a similar stunt at Long Beach from 22nd on the grid!

Watson emerged as a strong contender for the 1982 World Championship, but went to Las Vegas, the season finale again, needing to win in order to beat Keke Rosberg (Williams) to the title. However, "Wattie" could only finish runner-up as Tyrrell's Michele Alboreto scored his first win, and thus Rosberg claimed his title. Keke and Michele got to meet Diana Ross on the podium (BELOW) so there was some upside to racing in a Vegas parking lot. However, that was the last time F1 raced in Sin City…although maybe not the last time ever, if current rumors are to be believed…

(BOTTOM) Alboreto and Rosberg again, this time heading for first and second respectively at Detroit in ’83. It was the Tyrrell team's final win, the 155th and last GP win for the Cosworth DFV family (it was officially a DFY), and the last normally-aspirated F1 victory until turbos were outlawed for the start of the 1989 season.

(ABOVE) That man Rosberg again, but this time in the crippling heat of Dallas in July, 1984, on a track surface barely tougher than popcorn. According to Keke, the Williams FW09 chassis flexed (it was the last non-carbon fiber car from Williams) and certainly the Honda turbo had light-switch power delivery, but Rosberg mastered the least suitable car for the circumstances while his rivals bounced off walls and broke down.

Two weeks earlier in Detroit, it was Nelson Piquet (BELOW) who had dominated but in his spare Brabham. The race had to be halted at the start, when an overambitious Lotus driver named Nigel Mansell tried to squeeze between front-row starters Piquet and Alain Prost and triggered a sizable chain reaction pile-up that blocked the track. Nelson wasn't put off his stride, though, and dominated the race in the BMW-powered BT53.

(ABOVE) 1985 was the first time in 10 years that America had only one race (Detroit) and although there seemed to be a generally negative attitude toward the track from the paddock, it wasn't shared by Keke Rosberg who remained the ultimate street fighter. Teammate Nigel Mansell and his replacement at Lotus Ayrton Senna started from the front row, but they, like McLaren's Alain Prost crashed out. In contrast, Rosberg was fast and sure, beating the Ferraris of Stefan Johansson and Michele Alboreto by a full minute, despite a late pit stop to remove debris from his radiators.

(BELOW) With Rosberg neutered by the inherent understeer of his McLaren, it was Senna and Mansell who wrapped up the front row again in ’86. This time, despite a puncture, Ayrton was able to win in the Lotus-Renault, whereas Nigel, after briefly leading, fell to fifth with braking issues. Oddly, this pair would occupy the front row again in ’87…and again finish first and fifth, as Senna scored the second straight win for the active-suspension Lotus-Honda.

(BOTTOM) Senna, now equipped with the McLaren-Honda MP4/4, won as he pleased in 1988. It would be the last time F1 visited Motown, however, as race organizers couldn't afford to upgrade the track.

By the time F1 got to Phoenix, spectator interest was risible, although the rumor that a local ostrich race had attracted more fans was surely an exaggeration…wasn't it? Anyway, the McLaren-Hondas, now normally aspirated, dominated the event. Both Senna and Prost (ABOVE) suffered engine problems, but whereas Ayrton's misfire halted him, Alain's overheating unit lasted and he beat Riccardo Patrese's Williams-Renault by 40sec. Third place went to local boy, Eddie Cheever, in an Arrows – the final podium finish of his F1 career.

If 1989 was a bit of a dud as far as the racing was concerned, at least the 1990 edition was enlivened at half distance by a brief but memorable battle (BELOW) between Senna and the Tyrrell of Jean Alesi. Ayrton prevailed, of course, as he did again the following year, when F1 made its final trip to Arizona. The USA would remain off F1's travel itinerary for the next eight years.

(BOTTOM) Welcome to the Racing Capitol of the World! In 2000, Formula 1 found a far more suitable venue and far more local excitement for the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Five years later, F1 would repay that enthusiasm by providing just six cars for the fans to watch. But that inaugural race went to Michael Schumacher's Ferrari and he would win there four more times, 2003-’06.

Just three weeks after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on America, Formula 1 put on a dynamic show for a still shell-shocked country. Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello in the Ferraris and Juan Montoya in the Williams-BMW all led and starred, but it was Mika Hakkinen (ABOVE) who prevailed in the McLaren-Mercedes. It was the 20th and final win for the two-time World Champion who retired at the end of the season.

(BELOW) Genius F1 driver though he was, even Schumacher couldn't stage manage a dead-heat between himself and teammate Barrichello in 2002. A somewhat bemused Brazilian ended up as winner by 0.011sec…

(BOTTOM) Although the Schumacher/Ferrari domination era had ended in the German's retirement at the end of ’06, a new ace arrived in F1 in 2007. In Canada, rookie Lewis Hamilton took his first grand prix victory. A week later, he held off McLaren teammate Fernando Alonso to grab his second triumph, in what would be Formula 1's final trip to Indianapolis.

Many skeptics doubted it would happen when they first heard plans for Circuit of The Americas, in Austin, Texas. Yet it not only reintroduced F1 to America in 2012, the 3.427-mile course reminded everyone that a new-build track can be an instant classic. Lewis Hamilton won after a captivating huntdown of reigning champion Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull Racing-Renault. It was Hamilton's final victory for McLaren, and he was able to share the podium with fellow champions Vettel, Fernando Alonso (the first time ever these three had shared a podium) and some dude named Mario Andretti.

(BELOW) Hamilton, like everyone else, had no answer for Vettel last year. Here he chases the four-time champion and Romain Grosjean's Lotus.

(BOTTOM) Given that they've had around 1sec-per-lap advantage over the opposition all weekend, we're expecting the Mercedes-Benz duo to have the race to themselves…but who will ultimately prevail?