Grand Prix of Sao Paulo: Track and statistics

The Autodromo José Carlos Pace in Sao Paulo, southeastern Brazil, is traditionally praised before the race and criticized after. The track allows overtaking, there are several interesting sections, but after the finish they remember the bumpy asphalt, the unusual counterclockwise movement and the rampant crime gives color – in 2010 there was an armed attack on Jenson Button, since then teams have not recommended that staff appear unescorted from public places. Many European journalists and photographers simply do not go to this stage, fearing for their safety.

The autodrome was built with private money and opened for racing in 1940; ten years later it became municipal property – for a small fee the committee for the celebration of the city’s centenary bought it from the previous owners. In 1972, Interlagos hosted the first Formula 1 race and in 1990 the Brazilian Grand Prix found a permanent home in Sao Paulo.

The circuit is often called Interlagos, although officially the circuit is named after Jose Carlos Pace, who died in a plane crash in 1977. Not far from the main entrance is a bronze monument to the racer. Interlagos is a geographical term; the circuit is located between two reservoirs that supply Sao Paulo with water and electricity.

New asphalt was laid for the 2014 race, the paddock was expanded and a large office complex built for the 2015 round, and in 2017 the modernization program, worth approximately $60 million, was completed.

The contract for the Brazilian Grand Prix expired in 2020. There was talk of moving the stage from Interlagos to a new circuit in Rio de Janeiro, which had yet to be built, but the regional authorities shut down this project. Formally due to protests from environmental activists, but in fact due to the lack of guarantees from Formula 1 under which investments could be attracted.

In 2020 the stage was canceled due to the pandemic, but in November they announced the signing of a new five-year contract to organize the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The stage changed its national status to a geographical one and acquired a new promoter – the organization is carried out by the Brasil Motorsport company, owned by investors of the Mubadala fund from Abu Dhabi. Alan Adler, a specialist with extensive experience in sports and entertainment, is now responsible for hosting the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Characteristics of the trajectory

The technical Brazilian circuit is one of the shortest on the calendar, but very difficult. The twisty, downforce-requiring center section splits two high-speed sections where minimal drag is needed. Some compromise has to be made when setting up the cars, but as the best place to overtake is braking at the end of a long straight, the engineers have emphasized speed.

The track is located on a hill – more than 750 meters above sea level, but after the stage in Mexico the teams should have no problems with this. The weather in Sao Paulo is unpredictable and changeable and often becomes a key factor on weekends.

Nick Chester, engineer: “It is difficult to find optimal settings in Interlagos. The middle section is very twisty, with many slow bends, followed by a long, uphill bend that ends in a long straight where you rely on the power and dynamics of the bike.

In the middle sector it is important for the driver that the car handles the corners well and the tendency to understeer is not so obvious, and at the exit it is necessary that the drive wheels hold the line well during acceleration.

It is quite difficult to find a compromise when choosing the level of downforce. You want it to be less in the last sector, and more in other areas. To find this trade-off, we rely on computer simulation data. Normally in Brazil we reduce the downforce level slightly compared to the calculated downforce, but we will probably do the same now.”

Weekend schedule

You can follow the progress of all Formula 1 sessions on our live broadcast page.

Tire kits issued to teams for the weekend

For the sixth time this season, Pirelli will bring the three ‘medium’ compounds to the podium: C2, C3 and C4 with the names Hard, Medium and Soft.

Performance of active pilots in Brazil

Max Verstappen: “I like the Brazilian circuit, it has an interesting configuration with a characteristic height difference, and the counterclockwise movement makes the task even more interesting.

The track is quite technical, especially the winding second sector. You have to do everything there to show a good time. Like many of the circuits we compete in, Interlagos has a rich history and has hosted many exciting events over the years, so this race has a special place on the calendar.”