Autódromo José Carlos Pace

The Autódromo José Carlos Pace, better known as Autódromo de Interlagos or simply Interlagos, is a motorsport circuit located in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. It was inaugurated on 12 May 1940, by the federal intervener of the São Paulo province, Adhemar de Barros. In 1985, the circuit was renamed to honor the Formula 1 driver José Carlos Pace, who died in a plane crash in 1977. It runs counterclockwise and is long. The facilities also include a kart circuit named after Ayrton Senna.

The circuit has hosted the Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix since 1973, with the current contract set to expire in 2030. It previously hosted the Brazilian motorcycle Grand Prix in 1992, the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft in 1996, the FIA GT1 World Championship in 2010, and the FIA World Endurance Championship from 2012 to 2014. As the major racetrack in the country it also hosted many previous and active national championships such as Stock Car Brasil, Campeonato Sudamericano de GT, Fórmula Truck, Copa Truck, Formula 3 Sudamericana, Brazilian Formula Three Championship, and Mil Milhas Brasil.

In addition, the Prova Ciclística 9 de Julho road cycling race was held at the venue from 2002 to 2006 and from 2008 to 2013. A local version of the Lollapalooza music festival has been held at the venue since 2014.

History

The land on which the circuit is located was originally bought in 1926 by property developers who wanted to build housing.Interlagos circuit history
– Official Brazilian Grand Prix website Following difficulties partly due to the 1929 stock market crash, it was decided to build a racing circuit instead; construction started in 1938 and the track was inaugurated on 12 May 1940. Its design was inspired by tracks such as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Roosevelt Raceway in the United States, Brooklands in England, and Montlhéry in France.

The traditional name of the circuit, Interlagos (in Portuguese, "between lakes"), comes from its location on the neighborhood of the same name, a region between two large artificial lakes, Guarapiranga and Billings, built in the early 20th century to supply the metropolitan region of São Paulo with water and electric power. The name "Interlagos" was suggested by the French architect and urban planner Alfred Agache after the Interlaken region located in Switzerland. Interlagos was renamed in 1985 to "Autódromo José Carlos Pace" in honor of the Brazilian Formula One driver José Carlos Pace, also known as "Moco", who died in a plane crash in 1977.

Formula One started racing at Interlagos in 1972, when the event was run as a non-championship race (won by Argentinean Carlos Reutemann). The first World Championship Brazilian Grand Prix was held there in 1973, and it was won by defending Formula One World Champion and São Paulo local Emerson Fittipaldi. Fittipaldi won the race again the following year, and José Carlos Pace won his only race at Interlagos in 1975.

Due to safety concerns with the original layout, including a bumpy surface, the inadequate barriers, deep ditches and embankments, the last Formula One race held on the original Interlagos was in 1980, when it was nearly cancelled after protests by many Formula One drivers – including defending world champion Jody Scheckter. The safety concerns were directed towards the track surface, which BBC commentator Murray Walker described as "appallingly bumpy". Most of the ground-effect cars of 1980 were designed in such a way that bumpy surfaces were barely tolerable for the drivers. These factors meant that Formula One would move back to the Jacarepaguá circuit in Rio de Janeiro, hometown of established star Nelson Piquet and where the Brazilian Grand Prix was held in 1978. After Formula One moved away, the only major race being held at Interlagos was the Mil Milhas Brasil, and the last major race on the original circuit was the 1989 Mil Milhas Brasil. Formula One returned to the circuit in 1990 after it had been shortened and modified at a cost of $15 million. The track layout, aside from the pit exit being extended along the "Curva do Sol" over the years has remained the same since 1990.

The circuit is often witness to dramatic results when it hosts the Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix, especially since its move to an end of season slot in 2004. Fernando Alonso won both the 2005 and 2006 world titles in Brazil, with Renault also clinching the constructors' title in 2006. Kimi Räikkönen won the 2007 World Championship here after being seven points down and in third place in the championship entering the final race of the season. Felipe Massa almost won the 2008 Driver's World Championship when he finished the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix as winner, but after he finished, Lewis Hamilton overtook Timo Glock and was crowned World Champion. Despite Rubens Barrichello's pole position in 2009, Mark Webber won the race and Jenson Button won the championship for Brawn after starting 14th. Williams got their first pole since 2005 here at the 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix with Nico Hülkenberg. The race was won by Sebastian Vettel, and with Mark Webber coming second, Red Bull secured the constructors title; however the driver's title was not confirmed until the last race of the season.

During the weekend of the 2023 race, one roof in the complex came off because of bad weather.

Tribute to José Carlos Pace

In August 2024, the body of José Carlos Pace himself was transferred from his vandalized mausoleum to the race circuit to be laid to rest in the race track named after him. The idea for this came was organized by the president of the Confederação Brasileira de Automobilismo (Brazilian Automobile Confederation) (CBA), Paulo “Loco” Figueiredo, the president of the Comissão Nacional de Carros Clássicos (National Classic Car Commission) and journalist Ricardo Caruso, as soon as they were informed of the vandalism of Pace's mausoleum, in the Araçá cemetery, in São Paulo. Figueiredo and Caruso began a long battle against bureaucracy, which included meetings with municipal authorities, at least 15 trips to the cemetery, as well as searches in registry offices, collecting documents and various authorizations, just to give the departed racer his deserved respect, and all with the support and help of Pace's family, who were unaware of the situation of his grave in the cemetery and immediately authorized them to do whatever was necessary.

Finally, on August 23, Pace's body arrived in Interlagos, where he was buried next to the bust that stands there in his honor. The emotional ceremony was attended by Pace's family (his widow Elda, his children Patrícia and Rodrigo, and his grandchildren), friends, other drivers, journalists and admirers of “Moco”. Then, José Carlos Pace took one last lap around the track, where Rodrigo, “Moco's” son, drove a 1967 Karmann-Ghia racing car that was used by his father, from the old Dacon team, where José Carlos Pace formed a trio with none other than the Fittipaldi brothers of Emerson and Wilson Jr. at the time. Alongside Rodrigo was Maurício Marx, collector and current owner of the Karmann-Ghia, who took the urn with Pace’s remains to his “final chequered flag”. This makes Pace the first departed driver ever to be buried in a race circuit.

Characteristics

One of the main characteristics of Interlagos is that it was not built on flat terrain, but follows the ups and downs of hilly ground, which makes it harder to drive and demands more power from the cars' engines. The races therefore can be tough on the car and physically demanding on the drivers, especially since the circuit runs counterclockwise, where the centrifugal forces in the many hard left turns push the drivers' necks to the right, instead of left as in most of the circuits on the F1 calendar. The hilly course is also a good feature for road cycling races, which are usually held at the circuit.

Additionally to the physical aspects there is also a climate component to the venue, the region where the track is located is known for having rapid changes in weather with outbursts of rain being common, which can vary from a short lived drizzle to a torrential storm. This can add a degree of unpredictability to the races and it's classically associated with the circuit. The city of São Paulo itself where the circuit is located is known by the nickname "Land of the Drizzle".

First reform

In 1979 upgrading work was done and the pit lane was extended past the first left-hand turn (1), making the corner more narrow, and the pit lane ended right in the middle of turn 1 and 2. The present design of the track dates back to 1990, when the original circuit was shortened from to . As a consequence of the reduction, the track lost three long straight sections and nine fast curves (5 were lost forever, 4 were made slower and are still present). The original track was full of fast corners and it allowed cars to keep maximum speed for up for many seconds, it was considered dangerous, and in 1990 the old layout was mostly revised. The new track still had a very long top-speed section that contained bumps, high-speed turns and little run-off area though the track was very wide at this point.

Improvement in 2007

For the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix, the largest-scale repairs in the last 35 years were carried out at the circuit, to fundamentally solve problems with the track surface. The existing asphalt was entirely replaced, resulting in a much smoother track surface. At the same time, the pit lane entrance was enhanced to improve safety and to add a new fixed grand stand. To facilitate the work, the circuit was closed and no events were held in the five months immediately preceding the race.

On 17 October 2007, Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos (CPTM) began to operate the new station of the Line C (currently called Line 9), ''Autódromo'', near the circuit. The Line C had been extended to improve the access between the center of São Paulo and southern region of the Greater São Paulo including the circuit, improving circuit accessibility.

Planned 2012 redevelopment

Shortly before the 2011 Brazilian Grand Prix, FIA race director Charlie Whiting detailed several planned upgrades of the circuit, including a new pit entrance and expanded run-off at the final corner, as a response to several fatal accidents at the circuit in 2011. In June 2012, further details of the proposed plans emerged, calling for the construction of a brand new pit building and the relocation of the start line from its current position between Arquibancadas and the Senna 'S' to Reta Oposta. However, later it was decided to keep start/finish straight at its current location along with the new pit building.

Pit lane

Interlagos has one of the longest pit-lanes ever used in Formula One, starting just before the start-finish straight and rejoining the main course after Curva do Sol. Entering the pits was originally not a trivial task, as the high speed and the left turning may force the car rightwards, out of the pits. The pit lane entrance received some changes to become safer for the 2007 Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix, and later for the 2014 Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix, when a chicane was added.

Layout history

Track layout

Race start is in the "Tribunas" section and features a long straight with an upward inclination, then comes "S do Senna" (the Senna S) ,2 a pair of alternating downward turns (left then right) that exhibit different attack angles and inclinations.

"S do Senna" connects with "Curva do Sol" (Curve of the Sun) a round-shaped large-radius left turn that leads to "Reta Oposta" (Opposite Straight) the track's longest (but not the fastest) straight. Reta Oposta is succeeded by a pair of downhill left turns that are called "Descida do Lago" (Lake's Descent) ,5into a short straight section that climbs up towards the back of the pit buildings.

This is followed by a slow section, with small, kart-like turns and elevation changes. The first of these turns is known as "Ferradura" (Horseshoe) ,7downhill and right into "Laranjinha" (Little Orange) another right turn and the slowest point of the circuit; the next turn leads into "Pinheirinho" (Little Pine Tree) left on a plain field; then comes "Bico de Pato" (Duck Bill) 0a right turn with a tight hairpin like shape; and then "Mergulho" (Dive) 1 a constant-radius left-hand turn that slings the driver straight into a harder left at "Junção" (Junction) 2

Turn 3"Café" (Coffee), is a left up-hill kink and marks the start of the long top-speed section. Rising up through "Subida dos Boxes" (Up to the Pits) 4 the driver encounters a long uphill left turn with a gradient of 10% that demands a lot of power from the cars. At the end of it comes Arquibancadas (Bleachers) 5 a wide high velocity left turn that connects to the "Tribunas" straight to complete the final section of the track.

The series of left turns from the exit of "Junção" all the way to Turn 1 is typically taken at full throttle and treated as a long straight. This section is one of the longest full-throttle stretches on the Formula 1 calendar, and thus demanding of the engine's reliability. Other notable stretches of this nature are the "Rettifilo Tribune" straight at Autodromo Nazionale di Monza and the Kemmel Straight at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

List of the corners with their names (the numbers correspond to the current layout, from start to finish line):
* 'S' do Senna (Senna S) (1,2)
* Curva do Sol (Curve of the Sun) (3)
* Descida do Lago (Lake's Descent) (4,5)
* Ferradura (Horseshoe) (6,7)
* Laranjinha (Little Orange) (8)
* Pinheirinho (Little Pine Tree) (9)
* Bico de Pato (Duck's Bill) (10)
* Mergulho (Dive) (11)
* Junção (Junction) (12)
* Café (Coffee) (13)
* Subida dos Boxes (Up to the Pits) (14)
* Arquibancadas (Bleachers) (15)

Events

; Current

* January: Mil Milhas Brasil
* February: Fórmula Truck, Brazilian Superbike Championship
* April: Brazilian Superbike Championship, Porsche Cup Brasil
* May: Stock Car Pro Series, Copa Truck, NASCAR Brasil Series, F4 Brazilian Championship, Stock Light, Turismo Nacional BR, Império Endurance Brasil, Brazilian Superbike Championship
* June: Brazilian Superbike Championship, Moto 1000 GP
* July: FIA World Endurance Championship '' 6 Hours of São Paulo'', Brazilian Superbike Championship
* August: Porsche Cup Brasil
* November: Formula One '' São Paulo Grand Prix'', Porsche Cup Brasil, F4 Brazilian Championship, Brazilian Superbike Championship, Moto 1000 GP
* December: TCR South America Touring Car Championship, Stock Car Pro Series, Copa Truck, NASCAR Brasil Series, F4 Brazilian Championship, Turismo Nacional BR,

; Former

* Brasileiro de Marcas (2011–2018)
* Brazilian Formula Three Championship (1989–1994, 2014–2017)
* Campeonato Sudamericano de GT (2007–2013)
* Ferrari Challenge North America (2013)
* FIA GT1 World Championship (2010)
* Fórmula Academy Sudamericana (2018–2019)
* Formula BMW Americas (2008)
* Formula 3 Brazil Open (2010–2014)
* Formula 3 Sudamericana (1987, 1989–1993, 1995, 1998–1999, 2003–2011, 2013)
* Formula One
** ''Brazilian Grand Prix'' (1972–1977, 1979–1980, 1990–2019)
* Grand Prix motorcycle racing
** '' Brazilian motorcycle Grand Prix'' (1992)
* International Formula 3000 (2001–2002)
* International Touring Car Championship (1996)
* Le Mans Series (2007)
* Prova Ciclística 9 de Julho (2002–2006, 2008–2013)
* South American Super Touring Car Championship (1997–1999)
* Stock Car Brasil
** '' Stock Car Corrida do Milhão'' (2010–2013, 2016, 2019–2020)
* TC2000 Championship (2007)
* TCR World Tour (2024)
* Top Race V6 (2009–2010)
* World Series by Nissan (2002)

Lap records

As of May 2025, the fastest official lap records at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace are listed as:

See also

* Cidade Dutra
* Socorro
* Roman Catholic Diocese of Santo Amaro
* Subprefecture of Capela do Socorro

Notes

References

External links

Official website


Info from the Official Formula 1 Website

Official Brazilian Grand Prix websiteEnglish site


SaoPauloEsportes.com

Info from BBC's circuit guide

Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace History and Statistics

Autódromo José Carlos Pace on Google Maps (Current Formula 1 Tracks)


3D views and virtual laps of all F1 circuits, including this one, via Google Earth
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Subprefecture of Capela do Socorro

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Formula One circuits
Grand Prix motorcycle circuits
Motorsport venues in São Paulo (state)
Sports venues in São Paulo
Brazilian Grand Prix
Sports venues completed in 1940
1940 establishments in Brazil