Timothy Collings' US Grand Prix Preview

The world championship returns to "The Brickyard" for the first time for 40 years on Sunday, receiving significant support from all involved in Formula One. Eddie Jordan, for one, said he believed Indianapolis, was the world centre for motor racing fans.

"I think that this is absolutely the number one, and I say that without any reservations," said Jordan, whose team made their F1 debut at Phoenix in the last American race in 1991.

"When I was manager of Stefan Johansson I stood on the front row for an Indy 500 race and to see those stands full with 350,000 to 400,000 people was probably the greatest sporting thrill I have had. I couldn't believe the atmosphere."

McLaren team chief Ron Dennis also added: "I think a world championship that contains America is a better world championship. The US is full of national sport, which makes it difficult for other sports to penetrate, and for financial reasons F1 has lost races to CART in the past. But Indy has given us the chance to return...The razzmatazz should be colourful and amusing and hopefully we'll have a good race to satisfy a sell-out audience."

Historical Venue

Indianapolis, dubbed "The Brickyard" because of the nature of the original track surface, was one of the seven original circuits used in the first title-chasing season of 1950. However, the track is best known as the home of the Indy 500, run on its vast oval track in front of huge crowds.

Sunday's race will use a purpose-built infield circuit that uses only part of the main straight and turn one from the oval.

In the past, Indianapolis has hosted races which included Grand Prix machines and drivers but they were run to local regulations.

It was little surprise that they were dominated by American drivers with their specialist cars and techniques for the oval and that few Europeans ventured across to take part.

By the time they did, with some hope of success in the 1960s, the Indy 500 was no longer part of the F1 world championship.

The Indy-500 victories in 1965 and 1966 by Britons Jim Clark and Graham Hill came when it no longer counted as a Grand Prix.

By then the US Grand Prix had moved to a series of new venues in an itinerant existence. It has been staged at several venues under several names - known as the United States Grand Prix East and also as the US GP West, and enjoyed the labels given by Las Vegas, Dallas and Phoenix.

Varying Spell

In all, there have been 54 rounds of the F1 world championship run in the United States, a total that compares with 70 in Italy and 58 in Germany.

The race was held for varying spells at Sebring in Florida, Riverside in California, Watkins Glen in upstate New York and at Long Beach in California.

But it declined in popularity in the 1980s when the Las Vegas race was staged in Caesar's Palace hotel's car park in 1981, a year which also saw 'American' events run in Detroit and Long Beach.

A street circuit event was also held at Dallas in 1984 but once was enough in the unsuitable environment.

The last three versions of the US race were held on a street circuit in Phoenix, first won by Alain Prost and the last two by Ayrton Senna.