Brazilian Grand Prix

Interlagos Track guide

Interlagos, or the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace to give it it's official track name, is one of the few tracks that runs anti-clockwise in Formula 1. The start/finish is located halfway up the pit straight and is the first DRS sector, going uphill to the first corner.

Turns 1 and 2 and known as ‘Senna’s S’ after the Brazilian driver, a tough combination of turns that have different length and radius. These lead on to the long turn 3 before the second main straight (Reta Oposta) and DRS sector of the track.

Reta Oposta leads to ‘Descida do Lago’ left turns of 4 and 5 before the climb to the back of the pit buildings. Next follows a difficult section that involves various small turns and elevation changes between turns 6 to 12.

Turn 6 is a downhill and right into turn 7 which is another right before turn 8. The right turn 8 goes into the downhill and then back left at turn 9 before the accelerating turn 10 leads to the right-hand hairpin of turn 11.

From turn 11 drivers are flat-out downhill through the left of turn 12 towards turn 13. Turn thirteen is a sharp uphill left before heading onto the high-speed finish of the lap.

Drivers are then flat-out through 14 and 15 before coming back onto the pit straight again, with many cars using it as a way to gain speed through DRS to overtake at turn 1.

Race history

The first three races of the Brazilian Grand Prix were won by home natives Emerson Fittipaldi, 1973/74, and Carlos Pace in 1975.

Jacarepagua held a race in 1978 as they wanted a race to be held closer to the city along with the rise of Nelson Piquet. Jacarepagua then held the race from 1981 – 1989 until a $15 million investment was made at Interlagos to shorten the track and smooth over the circuit.

With the emergence of Ayrton Senna, Interlagos then became the host of the Brazilian Grand Prix again in 1990 and has hosted it ever since. Alain Prost won the first race back in 1990, the last of his six Brazilian Grand Prix victories.

Senna won the next year in 1991 and again in 1993 before Schumacher in 1994/95 who won again in 2000/02. Michael Schumacher and his brother Ralf shared a row on the starting grid for the first time in their careers in 2001.

Treacherous conditions in 2003 made for a memorable race in which Giancarlo Fisichella won in his Jordan. Heavy rain just before and during the race caused issues with several drivers spinning out. Fernando Alonso crashed out, blocking the circuit in the process and after much confusion, the win was eventually handed to Fisichella.

In 2008 Lewis Hamilton became the youngest Formula 1 World Champion at the time. Felipe Massa won the race and Hamilton finished fifth, passing Timo Glock on the penultimate corner to gain enough points to secure the championship.

Jenson Button finished in the same position a year later to secure his only Championship victory. In 2016 we saw a remarkable overtake from Max Verstappen on Nico Rosberg in the wet weather, going around the outside at turn 3.

The Brazilian GP used to make for an entertaining finale to the Formula 1 season. The question is, should it return as the final race?