Birmingham Super Prix?

[stefan]

I saw a clip of it on a cheesy porsche video. Do they still run it - if so when? It looked quite exciting - a bit like Monaco, except without the yachts... and mediterranean,.. and girls.

[jase]

Originally posted by stefan
I saw a clip of it on a cheesy porsche video. Do they still run it - if so when? It looked quite exciting - a bit like Monaco, except without the yachts... and mediterranean,.. and girls.

Hmmm, Birmingham like Monaco?? :confused: If I recall the event was only run twice, and that was in the mid 80's, though can't recall why the event was dropped.

[josvandeperre]

It was great but the FIA introduced a rule that international events had to be three days and the organisers couldn't be bothered to get new legislation - so it died

[Rob29]

It ran for 5 years (1986-90)I went to every one.Ended, I believe, for financial reasons,it cost £1M to assemble it each year! And F3000 was never that popular.A longer circuit for F1,was proposed but would have required new legislation for 3 days,but I doubt Bernie would have given them a date. Last I heard the barriers were still stored ,awaiting a sponsor.

[Sato san]

only seen it on videos...seem to remember Mark Blundell having a big crash there once

[rdjones]

Here are the full results for the Brimingham Super Prix from 1986 onwards

1986
Pos. Driver Nat. Team/Car Laps Result Points Grid
1 Luis Pèrez Sala SPN Pavesi 24 42m24.40s 4.5 1
2 Pierluigi Martini ITA Pavesi 24 42m27.72s 3 2
3 Michel Ferté FRA ORECA 24 - 2 4
4 Eliseo Salazar CHL Lola 24 - 1.5 6
5 Pascal Fabre FRA Lola 24 - 1 5
6 Russell Spence GBR Onyx 24 - 0.5 18
7 John Jones CAN Onyx 24 - - 7
8 Satoru Nakajima JAP Ralt 24 - - 15
9 Tomas Kaiser SWE BS Automotive 24 - - 11
10 Roberto Moreno BRA Bromley 24 - - ?
11 John Nielsen DEN Ralt 24 - - 8
12 Alessandro Santin ITA Coloni 24 - - 17
13 Gabriele Tarquini GBR Coloni 24 - - 20
14 Mauricio Gugelmin BRA West Surrey Racing 23 - - 14
15 Tommy Byrne GBR Eddie Jordan Racing 23 - - ?
16 Gary Evans GBR GEM 23 - - ?
R Andrew Gilbert Scott GBR BS Automotive 21 Accident - 3
R Olivier Grouillard FRA Formula Team Ltd 18 Accident - 26
R Claudio Langes ITA BS Automotive 17 Accident - 24
R Altfried Heger GER Bertram Schäfer Racing 17 Accident - ?
R Emanuele Pirro ITA Onyx 14 Accident - 10
R Alain Ferté FRA ORECA 14 Accident - 19
R Pierre Henri Raphanel FRA ORECA 9 Handling - 9
R Tim Davies GBR Bennett 2 Accident - ?
R Marcel Tarrès FRA Team Dollop 2 Accident - ?
R Ivan Capelli ITA Genoa 0 Accident - 12
DNQ Guido Dacco ITA ITI 3000 - - - -
DNQ Franco Tacchino ITA Sanremo Racing - - - -
DNQ Mario Hytten CH Arno International - - - -
DNQ Franco Forini CH Sanremo Racing - - - -
DNQ Jari Nurminen FIN Venturini - - - -
DNQ Dave Scott GBR Peter Gethin - - - -
DNQ Ross Cheever USA Eddie Jordan Racing - - - -
DNQ Jean Pierre Frey CH Team Dollop - - - -

1987

Pos. Driver Nat. Team/Car Laps Result Points Grid
1 Stefano Modena ITA Onyx 51 1h11m44.52s 9 2
2 Roberto Moreno BRA Ralt 51 1h11m55.94s 6 8
3 Mauricio Gugelmin BRA Ralt 51 1h11m57.82s 4 1
4 Luis Pèrez Sala SPN Lola 51 1h12m00.64s 3 11
5 Andy Wallace GBR Madgwick International 51 1h12m17.29s 2 3
6 Olivier Grouillard FRA ORECA 51 1h12m17.55s 1 4
7 John Jones CAN Lola 51 1h12m25.39s - 14
8 Russell Spence GBR Murray Taylor/Mountleigh 51 1h13m00.89s - 25
9 Steven Andskär SWE Roni 51 1h13m20.03s - 15
10 Claudio Langes ITA FIRST Racing 50 - - 24
11 Michel Ferté FRA Genoa 50 - - 20
12 Paul Belmondo FRA GBDA 50 - - 19
13 Marco Apicella ITA Euroventurini 50 - - 22
14 Gabriele Tarquini GBR FIRST Racing 50 - - 7
R Yannick Dalmas FRA ORECA 43 Gearbox - 9
R Jari Nurminen FIN GA Motorsport 43 Suspension - 23
R Lamberto Leoni ITA FIRST Racing 40 Accident - 18
R Pierluigi Martini ITA Pavesi 37 Suspension - 10
R Gary Evans GBR GEM 33 Electrics - 12
R Pierre Henri Raphanel FRA Onyx 24 Engine - 5
R Paolo Barilla ITA Pavesi 23 Differential - 13
R Gregor Foitek CH Genoa 22 Engine - 21
R Michel Trollé FRA GBDA 11 Accident - 6
R Cor Euser NED Bromley 10 Steering - 17
R Julian Bailey GBR GA Motorsport 5 Throttle Cable - 16
R Mario Hytten CH Racetech 3000 5 Accident - 26
DNQ Eliseo Salazar CHL COBRA Motorsport - - - -
DNQ Tomas Kaiser SWE BS Automotive - - - -
DNQ Robert Lee Lewis GBR COBRA Motorsport - - - -
DNQ Alfonso Garcia de Vinuesa SPN BS Automotive - - - -
DNQ Mark Blundell GBR Fleetray Racing - - - -
DNQ Dominique Delestre FRA Lola - - - -
DNQ Altfried Heger GER GA Motorsport - - - -
DNQ Jean Pierre Frey CH Team Dollop - - - -
DNQ Nicola Tesini ITA Euroventurini - - - -

1988

Pos. Driver Nat. Team/Car Laps Result Points Grid
1 Roberto Moreno BRA Bromley 43 1h00m19.78s 9 3
2 Martin Donnelly GBR Eddie Jordan Racing 43 1h00m27.48s 6 7
3 Pierluigi Martini ITA FIRST Racing 43 1h00m41.43s 4 4
4 Volker Weidler GER Onyx 43 1h00m57.48s 3 14
5 Bertrand Gachot BEL Spirit Racing 43 1h00m58.16s 2 16
DQ Eric Bernard FRA Bromley 43 - - 8
6 Michel Ferté FRA Auto Sport Racing 43 1h01m31.24s 1 15
7 Jari Nurminen FIN Colt 43 1h01m40.16s - 13
8 Gary Evans GBR GEM 43 1h01m40.53s - 19
9 Paul Belmondo FRA Lola 42 - - 17
10 Jean Denis Deletraz CH Auto Sport Racing 42 - - 26
11 Steve Kempton GBR Spirit Racing 42 - - 25
12 Fermin Velez SPN Barcelona Motorsport 42 - - 24
R Mario Hytten CH Ralt 35 Gearbox - 23
R Cor Euser NED Madgwick International 29 Driveshaft - 11
R Marco Apicella ITA FIRST Racing 18 Engine - 5
R Jean Alesi FRA ORECA 16 Accident - 9
R Mark Blundell GBR Lola 12 Gearbox - 6
R Andrea Chiesa CH COBRA Motorsport 7 Suspension - 10
R Alfonso Garcia de Vinuesa SPN Tamchester 7 Fuel Pick Up - 21
R Russell Spence GBR Madgwick International 5 Accident - 22
R Claudio Langes ITA GA Motorsport 4 Accident - 12
R Pierre Henri Raphanel FRA ORECA 1 Accident - 2
R Andy Wallace GBR GEM 0 Accident - 18
R David Hunt GBR Roger Cowman Racing 0 Accident - 20
DNS Olivier Grouillard FRA GBDA - Accident - 1
DNQ Perry McCarthy GBR GA Motorsport - - - -
DNQ Marco Greco BRA Ralt - - - -
DNQ Daniel Campeau CAN COBRA Motorsport - - - -
DNQ Enrico Bertaggia ITA Euroventurini - - - -
DNQ Massimo Monti ITA Pavesi/MC Motorsport - - - -
DNQ James Weaver GBR GA Motorsport - - - -
DNQ Giovanna Amati ITA Colt - - - -
DNQ Phil Andrews GBR Onyx - - - -
DNQ Fabio Mancini ITA Pavesi/MC Motorsport - - - -

1989

Pos. Driver Nat. Team/Car Laps Result Points Grid
1 Jean Alesi FRA Eddie Jordan Racing 51 1h11m48.98s 9 1
2 Marco Apicella ITA FIRST Racing 51 1h11m49.42s 6 2
3 Martin Donnelly GBR Eddie Jordan Racing 51 - 4 3
4 Eric Bernard FRA DAMS 51 - 3 5
5 Mark Blundell GBR Middlebridge 51 - 2 17
6 Eddie Irvine GBR Pacific Racing 51 - 1 9
7 Phil Andrews GBR Middlebridge 50 - - 11
8 Philippe Gache FRA Apomatox 50 - - 10
9 Claudio Langes ITA Forti Corse 50 - - 12
10 Franco Scapini ITA Automotive/BVM 50 - - 26
11 Ross Hockenhull GBR COBRA Motorsport 50 - - 24
12 Jean Denis Deletraz CH FIRST Racing 49 - - 13
13 Andrea Chiesa CH Roni 49 - - 4
14 Eric Van De Poele BEL GA Motorsport 49 - - 8
R Erik Comas FRA DAMS 30 Gearbox - 7
R Pedro Matos Chaves POR COBRA Motorsport 23 Steering - 25
R Stephane Proulx CAN GA Motorsport 18 Driveshaft - 20
R Gary Evans GBR Madgwick International 17 Accident - 18
R Paul Belmondo FRA CDM 17 Accident - 14
R J J Lehto FIN Pacific Racing 14 Engine - 23
R Jacques Goudchaux FRA GA Motorsport 10 Gearbox - 19
R Philippe Favre CH GA Motorsport 9 Driveshaft - 16
R Emanuele Naspetti ITA Roni 9 Accident - 6
R Thomas Danielsson SWE Madgwick International 0 Accident - 15
DNS Fabrizio Giovanardi ITA FIRST Racing - Accident - 21
DNS Damon Hill GBR Footwork - Driveshaft - 27
DNS Eric Cheli FRA CDM - Accident - 22
DNQ Gary Brabham AUS March/Leyton House - - - -
DNQ Perry McCarthy GBR Roger Cowman Racing - - - -

1990

Pos. Driver Nat. Team/Car Laps Result Points Grid
1 Eric Van De Poele BEL GA Motorsport 51 1h11m47.02s 9 4
2 Andrea Chiesa CH Paul Stewart Racing 51 1h12m05.96s 6 3
3 Didier Artzet FRA Apomatox 51 - 4 ?
4 Jean Marc Gounon FRA Mansell Madgwick Motorsport 51 - 3 ?
5 Fabrizio Giovanardi ITA FIRST Racing 51 - 2 18
6 Emanuele Naspetti ITA Eddie Jordan Racing 51 - 1 16
7 Andrew Gilbert Scott GBR March/Leyton House 50 - - ?
8 Paul Warwick GBR March/Leyton House 50 - - ?
9 Andrea Montermini ITA Mansell Madgwick Motorsport 50 - - ?
10 Karl Wendlinger AUT RSM Marko 50 - - ?
11 John Jones CAN Paul Stewart Racing 49 - - 25
R Gianni Morbidelli ITA Forti Corse 42 Injured - ?
R Eddie Irvine GBR Eddie Jordan Racing 39 Accident - 7
R Fabrizio Barbazza ITA Crypton 38 Accident - ?
R Michael Bartels GER COBRA Motorsport 35 Engine - ?
R Paul Belmondo FRA Superpower 35 Gearbox - ?
R Stephane Proulx CAN Pacific Racing 34 Accident - ?
R Erik Comas FRA DAMS 34 Brakes - ?
R Antonio Tamburini ITA Roni 33 Suspension - ?
R Heinz Harald Frentzen GER Eddie Jordan Racing 30 Accident - 6
R Phil Andrews GBR Superpower 20 Accident - ?
R Marco Apicella ITA FIRST Racing 19 Radiator - 1
R Allan McNish GBR DAMS 17 Gearbox - ?
R Damon Hill GBR Middlebridge 9 Brakes - ?
R Pedro Matos Chaves POR Mansell Madgwick Motorsport 6 Gearbox - ?
DNS Philippe Favre CH March/Leyton House - Fuel Leak - ?
DNQ Giovanna Amati ITA COBRA Motorsport - - - -
DNQ Gary Brabham AUS Middlebridge - - - -
DNQ Paolo delle Piane ITA Roni - - - -
DNQ Giovanni Bonanno ITA Becsport - - - -

I a have also attached a diagram of the track. The data has come from http://www.formula3000.free-online.co.uk/

[Tristan]

I live right next to the Superprix circuit (I exaggerate, about a mile away). It's interesting, because opposite the old pits at Monaco house (now a Jag/Aston dealership) the area has become a bit run-down and undermentained. And yet, every year at about this time, through a scruffy, weed infested bank at the side of the A38 Bristol Road, crocuses grow.

And if you look really carefully you can just make out, in eight foot high letters: "BIRMINGHAM SUPERPRIX".

Indeed, untill recently I lived on the Pershore Road, which makes up the north-bound back straight behind the pitlane, as you can see on the map above. So there!

[Takuma]

Sadly, this popular and successful event was stopped by the b'ham city council. It didn't fit into their ideas of "political correctness", competitors not having the "right" mix of ethnic and social backgrounds etc!

The fact that the teams, media, sponsors and spectators brought many thousands of pounds into the local economy was ignored.

[Rob29]

Rubbish! It was abandoned because it lost millions of the council tax payers money over the 5 years it was run.F3000 just did not attract sufficent spectators or sponsors.A move to a longer circuit and F1 was proposed,but I guess abandoned when it became clear that Ecclestone was not going to give Britain a second race. If we dumped Silverstone it would be a great success with adiquate public transport access.

[Takuma]

Rob 29
You are wrong, the expiration of the original 5 year contract coincides with a change of leadership of the labour group in b'ham, the new leader, Thearesa Stewart was against competitive sport of all types. The Labour group mis-running B'ham council took a significant shift towards the political left when Cllr Stewart took over.

Her most memorable quote was that she was going to concentrate 90% of the councils spending into the wards that elected her members!


Also, despite all the preparation work and display events before the actual Super Prix events been done by private companies, when the laws to allow racing to take place were passed, B'ham council decided to run the event themselves, without having the relevent skills or experience in event management and promotion. There were many many major faults in the promotion and marketing of the events, that would not of occured if proper, experience management had been in place.