Grand Prix Masters


Grand Prix Masters was a one-make motor racing series featuring retired Formula One drivers. The inaugural event, at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in South Africa, took place on 11–13 November, but the series folded after a two-race season in 2006.

Concept

Grand Prix Masters was modeled on the lucrative seniors tours of golf and tennis. In order to compete, drivers must:
All participants raced identical open wheel cars, which are based on the 2000 Reynard 2KI Champ Car. The chassis was built by English constructor Delta Motorsport, and was powered by a naturally aspirated, 3.5-litre, 80-degree V8 engine produced by Nicholson McLaren. The engine was based on the Cosworth XB engines previously used in IndyCar racing, and according to the series' organisers, it produced more than 650bhp at 10,400 rpm with over torque at 7,800 rpm.
In 2007 cars were to have been powered by a Mecachrome 90-degree V8 4.0 litre. It developed and revved to in excess of 9500 rpm.
Gearbox operation was controlled by a contemporary paddle shift arrangement.
Grand Prix Masters promoters boasted that the 650 kg cars reach. Claiming that the combination of stable aerodynamics and considerably simpler technology better demonstrate driver skill and promoted overtaking, electronic "drivers' aids" were absent, and brakes were made of steel rather than carbon to increase braking distances.

On track

The Grand Prix Masters car first ran in late-September 2005 in the hands of Delta Motorsport 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 saw the first multi-car test for the series, with Mansell, Andrea de Cesaris, Stefan Johansson, Derek Warwick, Alex Caffi, Hans-Joachim Stuck, Patrick Tambay and Christian Danner running at the Silverstone Circuit in England. De Cesaris was fastest, Danner slowest whilst Tambay crashed.

Champions

Controversy

There were questions surrounding the fitness of the former Formula One stars who ended up competing 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' lack of fitness at the first GP Masters event might suggest Danner's assessment had some merit.

2005: 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 a disappointment. In practice he was up to ten seconds off the pace of Mansell, before pulling out of the race –- ostensibly due to neck injury. He was replaced by Eliseo Salazar.

2005 result

; Kyalami, November 13
RankDriverTeamTimeGap
1 Nigel MansellTeam Altech50:55.154
2 Emerson FittipaldiTeam LG50:55.562+ 0.408
3 Riccardo PatreseTeam Goldpfeil51:15.816+ 20.662
4 Andrea de CesarisTeam Unipart51:16.854+ 21.700
5 Derek WarwickTeam Lixxus51:17.007+ 21.853
6 Hans-Joachim StuckTeam Phantom51:18.355+ 23.201
7 Christian DannerTeam Unipart51:19.272+ 24.118
8 Eddie CheeverTeam Altech51:27.359+ 32.205
9 Jan LammersTeam LG51:27.932+ 32.778
10 Eliseo SalazarTeam Altech51:38.573+ 43.419
11 Patrick TambayTeam Lixxus52:06.738+ 1'11.584
12 René ArnouxTeam Golden Palace52:07.890+ 1'12.736
13 Jacques LaffiteTeam GMF43:44.47117 laps
14 Stefan JohanssonTeam Phantom3:33.04028 laps

2006 calendar

In January 2006 GP Masters announced it would hold events in the following venues:
The race scheduled for Monza was cancelled due to noise limits. The Kyalami event would later be cancelled as well. A race at Sepang was a later addition to the calendar, but was also cancelled in the end.

2006 results

; Losail International Circuit, April 29
RankDriverTeamTimeGap
1 Nigel MansellTeam Altech52:06.000
2 Christian DannerTeam LUK52:06.562+ 0.562
3 Eric van de PoeleTeam Golden People52:07.174+ 1.174
4 Eddie CheeverTeam Altech52:09.016+ 3.016
5 Derek WarwickTeam Lixxus52:09.420+ 3.420
6 Pierluigi MartiniTeam Global52:11.710+ 5.710
7 Jan LammersTeam LG52:13.044+ 7.044
8 Stefan JohanssonTeam Altech52:14.339+ 8.339
9 René ArnouxTeam Golden People52:15.068+ 9.068
10 Riccardo PatreseTeam INA52:15.423+ 9.423
11 Patrick TambayTeam Lixxus52:21.506+ 15.506
12 Emerson FittipaldiTeam LG52:35.788+ 29.788
13 Andrea de CesarisTeam INA33:29.6218 laps
14 Eliseo SalazarTeam Phantom52:22.12711 laps
15 Hans-Joachim StuckTeam Phantom9:28.88219 laps

won the 2006 race at Silverstone.
; Silverstone Circuit, August 13
RankDriverTeamTimeGap
1 Eddie CheeverTeam GPM1:01:06.625
2 Eric van de PoeleTeam Golden People1:01:25.302+ 16.677
3 Christian DannerTeam LUK1:01:45.180+ 36.555
4 Hans-Joachim StuckTeam Phantom1:02:02.139+ 53.514
5 Alex CaffiTeam Altech1:02:11.648+ 1:03.623
6 Riccardo PatreseTeam INA1:02:15.492+ 1:06.867
7 Pierluigi MartiniTeam Motorola1:02:54.980+ 1:46.355
8 Emerson FittipaldiTeam Altech1:01:13.217+ 1 Lap
9 René ArnouxTeam Golden People1:01:55.250+ 2 Laps
10 Andrea de CesarisTeam INA1:01:34.298+ 2 Laps
11 Patrick TambayTeam Lixxus1:01:49.162+ 3 Laps
12 Stefan JohanssonTeam Virgin Radio/BP55:22.246+ 4 Laps
13 Jan LammersTeam LG34:44.02513 laps
14 Eliseo SalazarTeam Phantom19:30.14020 laps
15 Derek WarwickTeam Lixxus5:39.03526 laps
16 Nigel MansellTeam Altech31:44.60826 Laps

2007 calendar

Three races would be held in 2007, all cancelled due to organiser bankruptcy :
On 18 September 2007, Delta Motorsport, supplier of the GP Masters chassis, announced they were filing a petition with the British High Court to have the GP Masters Operating company placed in liquidation due to non-payment of invoices. Following a hearing on 28 November 2007, the Grand Prix Masters series was officially wound up.
GP Masters should not be confused with the Masters Series, owned by Ron Maiden, which runs various historic race series, including the FIA Masters Historic Formula One Championship.
In the first quarter of 2008 Delta Motorsport stated that they intend to re-launch the series under the name F1 Masters using the original car that they manufactured for the GP Masters series.

Driver statistics