Detroit Grand Prix
Detroit Grand Prix at a glance
- Location
- Detroit, Michigan
- Type
- street circuit
- Length
- 1.645 mi (2.647 km)
- Turns
- 10
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt (public downtown streets)
- Opened
- 2023
- Owner
- Penske Entertainment / Detroit Grand Prix
- Website
- detroitgp.com
Track map and layout
Since 2023 the Detroit Grand Prix has run on a downtown street circuit along the Detroit River, replacing the longer-running Belle Isle Park layout that hosted the race from 1992 to 2022. The current course is 1.645 miles with 10 turns, shorter and reportedly tighter than the 2.35-mile, 14-turn Belle Isle island layout it replaced, and it weaves through city blocks near the GM Renaissance Center and riverfront rather than a closed park island. Before Belle Isle, an earlier downtown Detroit street circuit hosted Formula One and CART races through the 1980s on a longer 2.5-mile course, so the current layout effectively returns the race to the city streets it started on, albeit on a different, more compact routing than either predecessor.
Named corners and sections
- Turn 1. First corner after the downtown start/finish straight, a key overtaking point into the tighter infield section.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown street circuit (2023-present) | 1.645 mi | 10 turns; current layout along the Detroit riverfront |
| Belle Isle Grand Prix Circuit (1998-2001, 2013-2019, 2021-2022) | 2.36 mi | 14 turns; extended island layout, retired after the 2022 race |
| Belle Isle original circuit (1992-1997, 2007-2008, 2012) | 2.1 mi | 15 turns; original island layout |
Events and race weekends
The Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix runs each June as an NTT INDYCAR SERIES weekend, historically paired with IMSA sports car racing and other support series. Since the 2023 move downtown, the event has been staged as a city-center festival weekend rather than a park-island event, with the race run in proximity to Detroit's riverfront, Renaissance Center and downtown hotels and attractions.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix | NTT INDYCAR SERIES | May/June | Downtown street circuit since 2023; ran on Belle Isle Park 1992-2022 |
Getting there and parking
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is the main gateway, roughly 25-30 minutes from downtown by car. The current circuit is in downtown Detroit itself, walkable from many hotels and served by the People Mover and QLINE streetcar, unlike the former Belle Isle venue which required driving or shuttling onto the island.
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) · about 25 min drive
Parking
Downtown Detroit parking garages and lots serve the event on a paid basis; because the circuit is now in the city center, many fans use downtown transit (the People Mover and QLINE) instead of driving in.
The move downtown in 2023 eliminated the causeway bottleneck that used to back up traffic onto Belle Isle; downtown parking and transit are now more practical than driving to an island lot.
Hotels and camping near Detroit Grand Prix
Downtown Detroit hotels near the riverfront and Renaissance Center are now within walking distance of the circuit, a change from the Belle Isle era when visitors typically stayed downtown or in nearby suburbs and drove or shuttled to the island. Rates rise for the June race weekend.
Where to look
Downtown Detroit riverfront and Renaissance Center area, closest to the current circuit; Midtown and Corktown as nearby alternatives.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
The Detroit circuit is built from public downtown streets closed only for the June race weekend, and the Belle Isle layout used before it was part of a public state park with normal park roads the rest of the year. Neither the current nor former circuit has ever had a public trackday or driving-experience program; the public cannot drive or ride either layout outside the annual event.
Spectator guide
Grandstands along the downtown riverfront and main straight offer the best views of the current circuit, with the skyline and Detroit River as a backdrop that the Belle Isle venue's park setting did not offer in the same way. Because the course now runs through the city center, some free viewing is possible from surrounding buildings and public riverfront areas outside the ticketed zone.
Seating
Grandstands run along the downtown start/finish straight and riverfront sections of the current circuit.
Best places to watch
Riverfront and start/finish grandstands for skyline views and the start; downtown corner sections for closer racing action.
Weather
- Jun: Warm early summer weather, typically highs in the mid-70s to low-80s°F with a chance of afternoon storms
History of Detroit Grand Prix
From downtown to Belle Isle
Detroit's Grand Prix history began on downtown city streets in 1982, when the race joined the Formula One calendar as the Detroit Grand Prix, later continuing under CART sanction through the late 1980s. Traffic disruption and circuit condition issues in the crowded downtown core led organizers to move the race in 1992 to a purpose-adapted circuit on Belle Isle Park, an island park in the Detroit River, where it would remain for three decades.
Three decades on the island
The Belle Isle circuit ran in several configurations, most notably a 15-turn, 2.1-mile original layout and a later extended 14-turn, 2.36-mile version meant to improve overtaking, hosting CART, Champ Car, IndyCar, IMSA and American Le Mans Series races across various stretches from 1992 through 2022 (with a gap during the COVID-19 pandemic). The island setting became the race's signature but also drew persistent criticism over bumpy pavement, limited passing, and the logistical strain of funneling fans onto Belle Isle via a single causeway.
Return to downtown
In 2023 the race left Belle Isle for good and moved to a new 1.645-mile, 10-turn circuit on downtown Detroit's streets near the riverfront and Renaissance Center, positioning the event as a city-center festival rather than a park-island race. Organizers and IndyCar promoted the move as returning the Grand Prix to its downtown roots while addressing the access and surface issues that had dogged Belle Isle.
Present day
The Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix continues each June on the downtown circuit, now paired with the city's broader revitalization efforts and positioned as a more walkable, transit-accessible event than its island-era predecessor, though the tighter, more technical downtown layout has drawn its own debate among drivers and fans about racing quality compared with the old Belle Isle course.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Detroit Grand Prix still held on Belle Isle?+
No. The race moved from Belle Isle Park to a new downtown Detroit street circuit starting in 2023, after running on the island from 1992 to 2022.
How long is the current Detroit Grand Prix circuit?+
The downtown circuit used since 2023 is 1.645 miles (2.647 km) with 10 turns, shorter than the 2.36-mile Belle Isle layout it replaced.
When is the Detroit Grand Prix held?+
It runs each June as part of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES calendar.
Can the public drive on the Detroit Grand Prix circuit?+
No. Both the current downtown circuit and the former Belle Isle layout are public roads closed only for race week; there is no public trackday program.
Why did the Detroit Grand Prix leave Belle Isle?+
Organizers cited the causeway traffic bottleneck onto the island, wear on Belle Isle's park roads, and a desire to bring the event back into the city center as reasons for the 2023 move downtown.
What is the nearest airport to the Detroit Grand Prix?+
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is roughly 25-30 minutes from the downtown circuit.
Other tracks nearby
- Michigan International Speedway · 64 mi · oval
- Grand Bend Motorplex · 95 mi · road course & oval
- Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course · 115 mi · road course
- Nelson Ledges Road Course · 126 mi · road course
- GingerMan Raceway · 158 mi · road course
- RedBud MX · 171 mi · motocross
Facts checked against 6 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-09.