Av. Sen. Teotônio Vilela, 261
São Paulo - SP, 04801-010, Brazil
In the first twenty years of the World Championship Brazil had shown very little interest in motor sport. All that changed in the early 1970s when Emerson Fittipaldi exploded on the international scene. His success led to the inauguration of the Brazilian Grand Prix and the venue chosen was Sao Paolo - Emerson's home town.
The Interlagos circuit had been built in 1940 and consisted of a sweeping outer section with a tight infield - an unusual concept in its day.
At just shy of five miles in length the circuit was also one of the longest tracks on the calendar. Located just a few miles from downtown Sao Paulo attendances have usually been enormous especially in the boom years of Brazilian racing.
The fact that the track was built within a natural amphitheatre has resulted in spectators being offered an excellent view of more than half of the circuit, regardless of where they sit.
Interlagos in one of the toughest tracks on the current round of Formula circuits and having been built on basically unstable ground the surface is full of lumps and bumps. Unusually the circuit runs anti-clockwise and is at high-altitude, so races are particularly hard on the drivers. The ever-present heat and humidity of Brazil also add to the driver's discomfort See the Review section for further information.
5TH, 6TH & 7TH OF NOVEMBER 2010 - Formula 1 Grand Prix of Brasil
Magic in Brazil
Posted by: Sam Collins
This anti-clockwise track situated on the edge of Sao Paulo has been a fixture in Grand Prix racing for many years and it almost always produces thrilling competitions; the 2008 Formula One finale being a great example. The world championship was decided in the final few metres of the season with Lewis Hamilton timing his charge to perfection.
The circuit combines a twisty infield section with a very fast-banked home stretch, originally part of an oval track built around the perimeter of the venue.
The fact that the track was built within a natural amphitheatre has resulted in spectators being offered an excellent view of more than half of the circuit, regardless of where they sit.
Interlagos is one of the toughest tracks on the current round of Formula One circuits; it was built on unstable ground and as a result the surface is full of lumps and bumps. Unusually the circuit runs anti-clockwise and is at high-altitude, so races are particularly hard on the drivers. The ever-present heat and humidity of Brazil also add to a driver’s (and spectator’s) discomfort.
The Brazilian race fans are lively and very patriotic. Ayrton Senna is still the hero but any local driver in the race will get huge support. In the start finish grandstand you almost always find a samba band playing constantly giving the whole event a carnival feel. This is really the best place on the circuit to watch the racing and there are plenty of reasonably priced tickets on offer. The weather at Interlagos can be very changeable with rain a regular feature, and when it comes it tends to lead to chaos on track. So prepare with both t-shirts and waterproofs!
Sao Paulo is a city of great contrasts, millionaires commute over the huge and seemingly permanent traffic jams as the inhabitants of the infamous favelas look on. Incredible poverty rubs shoulders with incredible wealth. Travelling around the city is not easy unless you can afford to travel by helicopter - so leave a lot of time to get anywhere.
Two commercial airports serve Sao Paulo; Congonhas (CGH) located within the city exclusively for national flights and Guarulhos (GRU) located within 25km of the city for national and international flights. Sao Paulo has an extensive system of public transportation that reaches all areas of the city, but for visitors the subway and taxis may be the best choices for transport.
Staying in this vibrant city is a real pleasure - fantastic food and drink abound, with the ever-present (and notorious) Caprinha cocktail. This drink is an essential part of the whole experience but beware, as they are very potent! With the time difference being just two hours behind the UK it means jet lag is never an issue.
