Grand Prix Masters

Grand Prix Masters was a one-make motor racing series featuring retired Formula One drivers. The inaugural (and sole 2005) event, at the Kyalami circuit in South Africa, took place on 11-13 November, but the series folded after a 2 race season in 2006.

Car
All participants race identical open wheel cars, which are based on 2000 Reynard 2KI Champ Car. The chassis were built by English constructor Delta Motorsport, and were powered by naturally aspirated 80-degree 3.5-litre V8 engines produced by Nicholson McLaren. The engines were based on the Cosworth XB engines previously used in IndyCar racing, and according to the series organisers produced more than 650bhp at 10,400 rpm with over 320 lb·ft (434 N·m) torque at 7,800 rpm.

In 2007 cars were to have been powered by a Mecachrome 90-degree V8 4.0 litre. It developed 600 bhp (450 kW) and revved to in excess of 9500 rpm.

Gearbox operation is fully manual, and controlled by a contemporary paddle shift arrangement.

Grand Prix Masters promoters boasted that the 650 kg cars reach 200 mph (300 km/h). Claiming that the combination of stable aerodynamics and considerably simpler technology (than in use in modern Formula One) better demonstrate driver skill and promoted overtaking. Electronic 'drivers aids' (such as traction control, power steering and ABS) were absent, and brakes were made of steel rather than carbon (as in many contemporary single seater race cars) to increase braking distances.

Concept
Grand Prix Masters was modeled on the lucrative seniors tours of golf and tennis. In order to compete, drivers must:


 * Have retired from all forms of open wheel racing
 * Have competed in F1 for two complete seasons
 * Have passed a medical examination
 * Be more than 45 years on the 1st of January for the season to follow, and have retired from F1 for two complete seasons.
 * 2006 GPM announced the entry age limit for new drivers had been reduced from 45 to 40.

Controversy
There have been questions surrounding the fitness of the former Formula One stars who will race 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.

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 2005 saw the first multi-car test for Grand Prix Masters with de Cesaris, Mansell, Johansson, Warwick, Caffi, Stuck, Tambay and Danner running at the Silverstone circuit in England.

De Cesaris was fastest, Danner slowest while Tambay crashed.

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 (South Africa), 13 November

2006 calendar
In January 2006 GP Masters announced it would hold events in the following venues:


 * 🇶🇦 Losail (Qatar), 29 April
 * 🇮🇹 Monza (Italy), 5 May Cancelled
 * 🇬🇧 Silverstone (UK), 13 August
 * 🇿🇦 Kyalami (South Africa), 12 November Cancelled

The race scheduled for Monza was cancelled due to noise limits.

2006 results
April 29 2006, Losail, Qatar

August 13 2006, Silverstone, England

2007 calendar

 * 🇷🇴 Bucharest Ring (Romania), 20 May Cancelled
 * 🇿🇦 Kyalami (South Africa), 23 September Cancelled
 * 🇶🇦 Losail (Qatar), 17 November Cancelled

Bankruptcy
On September 18th 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 the 28th of 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 and operates successfully

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.