Five Things You Didn't Know About the São Paulo GP 2026

The superb São Paulo Grand Prix is the last round of this triple-header, and what a special circuit this is! Full of history and capable of excellent racing and unpredictable weather, there’s a reason it’s a firm favourite for so many of the grid.

Autodromo José Carlos Pace – also known as Interlagos – is a permanent circuit located in São Paulo, and since its debut in 1973 has hosted 42 Grands Prix. We have won here on six occasions, with the most recent being when George secured his maiden Grand Prix victory after a dominant weekend in 2022 to win both the Sprint and race itself.

There’s no Sprint this weekend, which is the first time in five years that the scheduling has reverted back to the normal format.

It Was Never Meant To Be a Circuit

Back in 1926, the patch of land that now houses one of the world’s best race tracks was originally set for buildings and accommodation. That was until the Wall Street Crash of 1929, which brought an end to that concept and almost a decade later a circuit was constructed instead. Building got under way in 1938, with inspiration from venues like Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Brooklands, before it was officially opened for racing in 1940.

Translated from Portuguese to mean ‘between lakes’, Interlagos takes its name from the local neighbourhood that is built between two artificial bodies of water.

São Paulo Breeds Race Winners

As a nation, Brazil has won 101 of the 1,169 World Championship events in Formula 1’s history. For the Brazilian Grand Prix, four drivers have won their home race at Interlagos – Emerson Fittipaldi, Carlos Pace, Ayrton Senna and Felipe Massa. Where were they all born? That's right, São Paulo.

The municipality has been the birthplace to so many drivers in the past, including Rubens Barrichello, Lucas di Grassi and Gabriel Bortoleto to the above. A love for motorsport runs deep, and the area – known as Sampa by its locals – has produced two drivers that have achieved five drivers’ titles between Fittipaldi and Senna.

It’s also the final resting place of Senna, who is buried in the centre of the city he loved in Morumbi, with Carlos Pace – the driver this circuit is named after – also buried at the circuit itself next to a bust of the driver.

‘Land of Drizzle’

Interlagos has been known to have its own microclimate, with some very wet races here in the past. Because of the precipitation, parts of the circuit actually have water drainage grooves engraved – something also seen at Spa-Francorchamps – which helps clear water quickly and give more grip during those wet sessions.

The area has also picked up the nickname, "the land of the drizzle" after the rain that seems to fall, with storms currently scheduled for this weekend…

The Circuit Used To Be Half the Size

When Interlagos welcomed F1 for the first time in 1973, the track actually measured 7.960km over a single lap. Drivers enjoyed the rollercoaster ride that came with the huge elevation change, but the track surface and facilities were not up to scratch and it subsequently dropped off the calendar for a decade for essential repairs.

During the next 10 years, the Brazilian Grand Prix was hosted at the Jacarepaguá circuit in Rio de Janeiro, but Interlagos made its return in 1990. The track was now at 4.325km, and more in line with the shorter circuits that were appearing on the schedule. In fact, as it stands now it’s the fourth-shortest venue on the calendar, behind Mexico, Zandvoort and Monaco. This is when the iconic S do Senna – also known as the Senna S chicane – was added after the start-finish, and the end result is one of the most popular venues among fans and drivers.

A City of Culture

São Paulo is the largest city in the Western Hemisphere, and has a population of approximately 11.9 million people. It’s packed with incredible art, food and hospitality wherever you turn, and some excellent museums to educate yourself on the rise of Brazil’s largest city.

Due to the sheer volume of people living here, with this being the most populous city in the Americas, there’s also been a lot of immigration here over the years. It’s said that in metropolitan areas, there are more people with Italian ancestry in São Paulo than in any city in Italy! They’ll be on a high after Kimi’s Championship win, with neighbourhoods such as Bixiga and Brás often hosting festivals and celebrations about their Italian heritage.

The fans were also delighted to see Kimi’s second-place here last season, which at the time was his best result in Formula 1 to date – how time flies!