Grand Prix of Long Beach: Brian Redman recalls inaugural 1975 victory
LONG BEACH — Just think, the Grand Prix of Long Beach began in 1975, with the Formula 5000 as the main event. Brian Redman of England, now 88, was there for that initial ride.
He wasn’t just there. He won, besting the likes of Mario Andretti and Al Unser among other fine racers.
This weekend will be the 50th anniversary of the race, although that would have been last year had the COVID-19 pandemic not canceled the 2020 race.
In speaking with Redman on Thursday at the Grand Prix of Long Beach luncheon, it seemed like he remembered his victory like it was yesterday.
“It was really a tryout,” Redman said. “In order to get permission to hold a world championship in the sport of Formula One, they had to have another event before that.”
The eight-year stretch that Formula One was the main event at the Grand Prix of Long Beach began in 1976.
Redman broke down his 1975 victory.
“Well, I was pretty lucky because in those days the track wasn’t quite like it is today,” Redman said. “There was a very rough section going up to Ocean (Blvd.), which is where the pits were. And after Ocean there was a tight 90-degree right-hander that went down downhill; pretty sharp.”
Redman said that once that right-hand turn was made, the opportunity was there to go full-throttle. But something happened when he did that during qualifying.
“Toward the end of qualifying on Saturday, the car suddenly went sideways when I gave full throttle,” Redman said.
He had a talk with his engineer, telling him there was something wrong with the gear box.
“They opened it up and the limited slip had broke,” Redman said. “That’s what controls the wheelspin and they put in a new one.”
Unfortunately, it broke again some 15 laps into the race.
“So now … I have to be very, very careful on the throttle,” Redman said. “And it held together and we won. And so Mario, Al Unser Sr. and Tony Brise, they all broke gear boxes and drive shafts and Al Unser went into the wall; something broke on his suspension.”
Redman raced Formula One from 1967-74.
IMPRESSIVE FACTS
Alex Palou, 28, of Spain has only been driving in the NTT IndyCar series since 2020. Yet, he won series championships in three of his first five seasons and currently sits in first after winning the first two races of this season.
He still hasn’t won on the streets of Long Beach, but he has two third-place finishes. He also has yet to win an Indianapolis 500, but he did finish second in that race in 2021.
BABY HERTA
IndyCar driver Colton Herta, who won here in 2021, wishes he could remember the first time he was at the Grand Prix of Long Beach. His father Bryan raced there in the Champ Car main event in 2000, the month after Colton was born on March 30.
“I was two weeks old,” Colton Herta, of Santa Clarita, said. “I don’t remember any of it. I don’t think I actually ever came out of the motorhome with my mom. I was stuck there the whole time. But I have plenty of memories after that year. This is one that I never missed throughout the years.”
Herta was second in Long Beach last year.