Firstly apologies for the lateness. A week from hell and lots of unexpected things taking more time than they should have. 4th Doctors appointment of the week today!
Nothing serious (at this stage) Just floored me a bit but feeling better now. Still breathing anyway. 
A difficult puzzle in Interlagos
The Sao Paulo Grand Prix brings the curtain down on Formula 1’s long trip in the Americas, with the races at Austin, Mexico City and now Interlagos all taking place at one week intervals. Two down and one to go when it comes to the latest triple header of races, and it’s a Sprint weekend to add to the action.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the tragic death of Ayrton Senna and, as was the case at Imola back in May, events and tributes will be held at Interlagos.
The Brazilian weekend usually provides spectacular action. The circuit named in honour of José Carlos Pace presents several overtaking opportunities, but other random factors, such as a high chance of a Safety Car and extremely changeable weather, make the outcome of the Grand Prix uncertain and hard to predict.
The Interlagos circuit has hosted 40 Grands Prix, but only the last three have been named after the Paulista city. The previous 37 went by the name of the Brazilian Grand Prix, a race which was also held ten times at Rio de Janeiro’s Jacarepaguà circuit.
What does Interlagos have in common with CotA at Austin and Mexico City?
New asphalt. However, while in Austin and Mexico City only sections of the tracks had been resurfaced, in Sao Paulo all 4.309 kilometres has been renewed, including the pit lane. The work was only recently completed and the asphalt was then thoroughly cleaned, using a high pressure water washing system that removes the sheen that usually appears on brand new bitumen and this has also increased the abrasiveness of the surface.
Therefore, the track surface will be a completely unknown factor for drivers and teams this weekend. Complicating the puzzle still further is the fact Pirelli has chosen to bring a softer trio of compounds to Brazil than last year: the C3 will be the Hard, with C4 as Medium and C5 as soft. On top of that it’s a Sprint weekend, so that there is only free practice session for teams to find the best set-up, even if, as was seen in Austin, the “short” race in fact proved to be very useful to fine tune the balance of the car for the actual Grand Prix.
At Interlagos, the lateral and longitudinal forces exerted on the tyres around the 15 corners of this anticlockwise track are medium to low in intensity and well distributed across both axles. Furthermore, the new track surface could see a lowering of lap times and, as a consequence, an increase of the stress to which the tyres are subjected.
So a lot to consider.
Plus of course we have the ongoing battle for the Championship, although to be honest Max has it well within his grasp. Unless he has a DNF. We understand that following his engine issues and fall back for the race to an old engine he will likely have to face a grid penalty. Of course in the past that haas usually meant adding 5 or 10 places on to his normal first or provisional pole.
Nowadays who knows where he will qualify.... before the complications of adding penalties on come into it. Will the need to fight from the start and make his way through the field bring out the aultra aggressive I will push you out of the way if I have to Max, or will the penalties of last week made him realise his interpretation of the laws are not in the same way as the more sporting interpretation of authorities. Who knows but one thing for sure is Max needs this weekend to be as uncomplicated as possible. Engine penalties, the knowledge that his methods of overtaking are under scrutiny, and he needs to as few delays as possible.
Of course Max is in the drivers seat with the WDC and it is his to lose. There are now 47 points between the two with four race weekends to go, meaning Norris needs to outscore Verstappen by an average of 12 points at each venue to win the title. But two of those – Brazil and Qatar – are Sprint events, so there are a maximum of 34 points on offer rather than 26. I still think its Max's to lose but a bad weekend for Max, and 34 points for a sprint weekend.....
First they have to stop the Ferrari juggernaut. Carlos Sainz delivering an excellent performance in Mexico, following Charles Leclerc’s victory in the United States. Can they manage a threepeat?
Over in Constructors land the Championship it is much less predictable. All of a sudden Ferrari and their recentt form are potentially the favourites to haul in McLaren. Another weekend like last will see Ferrari and McLaren om very similar points. Of course this weekend being a sprint there are nearly 60 points going to a team who manages to 1-2 Spint and Race plus a Fastest Lap.
Could Ferrari pull of their first WCC since Raikkonen and Massa triumphed back in 2008?. It would seem we will regardless get a likely Constructors Champion who has not graced that spot for decades. McLaren's last WCC was back in the last century. 2008 they got stung for trying to run a Ferrari with the Spygate scandal, so 1998 was their last wConstructors win. Its been all about Mercedes and Red Bull since Ferrari did it in 2008 and Brawn in their pre Merc guise managed in in 2009.
I really cant see either Red Bull or Mercedes winning this year. Red Bull are happered by Perez and his continuing habit of not turning up. Christian Horner refused to confirm Perez would see out the season on Sunday night, describing Mexico as “a horrible weekend” for him and adding, “there comes a point in time that difficult decisions have to be made”.
Mercedes have also announced they can no longer develop the 2024 car because of budget problems..... too many costly crashes from their drivers have meant they cant keep up with the spares.
So lots to play for. In terms of what teams have the best record in Brazil......? Just happens to be McLaren and Ferrari!
The most successful driver in Brazil is Alain Prost with six wins to his name, although only one of those was in Sao Paulo, a track where Michael Schumacher holds the record with four victories. Ayrton Senna tops the list for pole positions with six in his home country, equally divided between the two tracks. At Interlagos, four other drivers have matched Senna’s total: his fellow countrymen Felipe Massa and Rubens Barrichello, Mika Hakkinen and Lewis Hamilton. Of the teams, McLaren is the most successful with 11 wins, although Ferrari has the most wins at Interlagos with nine. The English team tops the list for pole positions in this event with 11 as well as when it comes to those at this weekend’s venue, with nine.
Got to give a shout out to Haas as well. Will their run of form continue? Haas have scored points in each of the last six events – covering both Grands Prix and the Sprint – and in Mexico City it was double points as Hulkenberg came home ninth behind Kevin Magnussen in seventh. Lets not forget Interlagos has provided some mixed-up grids in recents years due to the chance of rain that can often hit the circuit. Most recently in 2022, it was Haas and Magnussen who ended up on pole for the Sprint after timing their best SQ3 lap perfectly. Not to mention Hulk managed to get pole at Interlagos in his previous life at Williams.
THE TRACK.
São Paulo
When was the track built?
Building work began on what ended up being called the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace – but what is more commonly referred to as Interlagos – all the way back in 1938. The track designers took their inspiration from three main circuits: Brooklands in the UK, Roosevelt Raceway in the USA and Montlhery in France.
When was its first Grand Prix?
Buoyed by the success of Brazil’s Emerson Fittipaldi, Formula 1 first jetted into Interlagos for a world championship race in 1973. Fans were treated to a home win in the first three Brazilian Grands Prix, with Fittipaldi victorious in 1973 and 1974, while Carlos Pace won in 1975.
What’s the circuit like?
Like many pre-World War II tracks, Interlagos features banked corners, with the drivers beginning their lap on a sort of half oval – in fact, between 1957 and the track’s return to the F1 calendar in 1990, Interlagos could be run as a giant oval. After wiggling through the Senna S and down to Turn 4, the drivers then go through a snaking in-field section with some challenging camber changes, before slinging back up the hill and through the banked final turn.
I shall go old school and instead post what the old Interlagos was like...... its not a racing lap but does the job.
By the end of the 1970s, the original 7.96km Interlagos layout (with its bumpy track surface and insufficient safety barriers) was removed from the F1 calendar on safety grounds.
Even the current Interlagos is one of the better tracks the circus visits.
Boasting one of the longest straights on the calendar, the famous Senna S, a bumpy track surface and an anti-clockwise layout, Interlagos is a true test of driver skill and strength.
Despite its long straight the lap is only 4.309 kilometres long, making it one of the shortest of the year, with only Monaco and Mexico City being shorter. It’s also run anti-clockwise and situated on a hillside, which gives it a unique character. The drivers face a steep downhill section after the first corner, followed by a long climb uphill with several winding turns, and then a long straight leading back to the finish line. The track has 15 corners – five right-handers and nine left-handers – with several direction changes. Interlagos has a bit of everything, featuring low as well as medium speed corners, and the cars running quite a high level of downforce. The forces acting on the tyres are reasonably balanced between lateral and longitudinal. The asphalt itself has a high level of roughness: typical of permanent tracks with a long history behind them.
Drivers seem to like it, and of course the fans are super passionate. Their passion together with the old school nature of the track layout always (ok usually then) make the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend one to remember.
Fastest corner: Ferradura, double-apex cresting right-hander, fourth gear, 190kph
Chances of a first corner crash: High. The Senna Esses have caused plenty of heartbreak through the years. More often than not an accident will happen in the midfield, as drivers starting from a poor grid position try to make up for a disappointing Saturday afternoon in the braking zone for turn one.
Overtaking opportunities:
Better than average. The long, curving uphill section before the pit straight is crucial toovertaking in Sao Paolo. With a good exit from Juncao and plenty of torque, slipstreaming is possible all the way round to turn one where most of the passing takes place. The other opportunity is at turn four, but a short braking zone makes it a real do-or-die manoeuvre.
The plot of land which the Interlagos track is situated on had been set aside in 1926 for building houses on. However, such was the environment, the plot of land laid empty for years as it was unsuitable for the houses to be built. The financial situation due to the stock market crash in 1929 was also a factor in the area laying dormant. It instead became home to a demanding race track. The idea for a permanent circuit in the area was mooted in 1938, and was built by a construction company named Sanson over the next two years.
F1’s first venture into Brazil came in 1972 – the same year which the country had their first Brazilian F1 World Champion, Emmerson Fittipaldi.... and Carlos Reutemann won what was a non-championship round. The event proved Interlagos’ capability of holding a race, and in 1973 the circuit became home to the Championship status Brazilian Grand Prix.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR.
Verstappen seals record 17th win of the season from Norris and Alonso in Sao Paulo Grand Prix
Max Verstappen put in an assured drive to take a dominant victory in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, making it a record-breaking 17th win for the world champion in 2023.
There was drama even before the race had got under way when Charles Leclerc went off on the formation lap after losing the hydraulics, forcing him to retire. When the lights went out, Verstappen made a clean start into the lead, but a heavy collision between Alex Albon and Kevin Magnussen behind resulted in the red flags being thrown.
It was another strong getaway from Verstappen at the restart, who resisted a challenge from Norris to hold P1 before going on to clinch his second win of the weekend after coming out on top in Saturday’s Sprint. Norris claimed a solid second place, while Alonso completed the podium after holding off Sergio Perez in a thrilling battle to the line.
Lance Stroll added to Aston Martin’s tally by taking fifth, ahead of the sole Ferrari runner of Carlos Sainz in sixth. Pierre Gasly was the lead Alpine in seventh, while Lewis Hamilton ended a tough day for Mercedes in P8. Yuki Tsunoda and Esteban Ocon rounded out the top 10.
Logan Sargeant just missed out on points in P11 and Nico Hulkenberg ended up in 12th, with both drivers running solo for their respective teams.
Daniel Ricciardo and Oscar Piastri were the last of those to cross the line in P13 and P14. The Australian pair had each suffered damage in the first-corner incident but were able to have their cars repaired during the red flag period.
There were several retirements from the race, with George Russell forced to pit owing to an oil temperature issue after a challenging afternoon, while the Alfa Romeo duo of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu both recorded a DNF due to technical problems.
BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX RESULTS
1. Max Verstappen
2. Lando Norris
3. Fernando Alonso
4. Sergio Perez
5. Lance Stroll
6. Carlos Sainz
7. Pierre Gasly
8. Lewis Hamilton
9. Yuki Tsunoda
10. Esteban Ocon
11. Logan Sargeant
12. Nico Hulkenberg
13. Daniel Ricciardo
14. Oscar Piastri
DNF — George Russell, Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu, Kevin Magnussen, Charles Leclerc, Alex Albon
2023 Race Highlights.
TYRES
FPirelli will provide the C3 compound as the hard, the C4 as the medium and the C5 as the soft at Interlagos – a softer trio of compounds than those brought to Brazil last year
As it is a Sprint weekend, the allocation of tyres drops from 13 sets to 12, with drivers getting two sets of the white hards , four of the yellow mediums and six of the red softs . The number of wet weather sets remains the same (five intermediate and two wet).
At Interlagos, the lateral and longitudinal forces exerted on the tyres around the 15 corners of this anticlockwise track are medium to low in intensity and well distributed across both axles. Furthermore, the new track surface could see a lowering of lap times and, as a consequence, an increase of the stress to which the tyres are subjected.
Usually, the fastest strategy is a two-stop, favouring the use of the softer compounds. Last year, all bar one of the drivers chose to start on the Softs, but a red flag after the start allowed for a switch to Mediums before ending the race on another set of Softs. This year, the fact the compounds are a step softer could open up a wider range of possible strategies, making the race even more exciting.
WEATHER
Will there be a storm in São Paulo?
Interlagos has hosted numerous wet races over the years, but are we set for another one in 2024?
This undulating venue is a pillar on the Formula 1 calendar. The drivers love it, the fans are incredibly passionate and the weather can be extremely changeable.
But will we see São Paulo in the sunshine this weekend, or are we set for rain between the lakes?
São Paulo Grand Prix forecast
Friday - FP1 and Sprint Qualifying
Forecast: Sunny and warm.
Highest Temperature: 25C / 78F
Chance of precipitation: 20%
Saturday - Sprint and Qualifying
Forecast: Clear in the morning, light showers in the afternoon.
Highest Temperature: 27C / 80F
Chance of precipitation: 50%
Sunday - Race
Forecast: Sunny start, clouding over as the day goes on.
Highest temperature: 27C / 80F
Chance of precipitation: 30%
Some Race Facts
* We had our first Brazilian F1 driver, (Chico LANDI), start his first GP way back at Italy in 1951 (He was entered for Germany earlier but DNA's) He was entered for 9GPs between 1951 and 1956. He was also the first Brazilian to score an F1 point, finishing the 1956 Argentinian GP 4th.
* Michael Schumacher is the most successful driver at Interlagos, having won four times.
* Alain Prost is the most successful driver at the Brazilian Grand Prix, with six victories between 1982-1990, five of which were at the Jacarepaguá circuit in Rio (his sixth and final was at Interlagos in 1990.)
* Ferrari are the most successful team at the Interlagos track, winning nine times in total.
* Five Brazilian drivers have won on home soil since the Brazilian Grand Prix became a part of the world championship in 1973. Emerson Fittipaldi, Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna and Felipe Massa took two wins apiece, whilst Carlos Pace won once.
* Brazilian drivers have taken more poles than drivers from any other nation at Interlagos. A Brazilian has started from the front here on ten occasions.
* In 2019, Max Verstappen’s Red Bull became the first Honda-powered car to win at Interlagos since Ayrton Senna’s McLaren in 1991.
* Mark Webber celebrated his final F1 race by removing his helmet on the slow-down lap after finishing second at the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2013.
* For most of its existence (until 2003), the Brazilian Grand Prix had an early-season calendar slot. It only moved to a late-season slot from 2004, holding the calendar’s final race for 5 years until Abu Dhabi joined the calendar in 2009.
* The 1994 Brazilian Grand Prix was the penultimate time an F1 race was won by over a lap.
* Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz recorded the first podium finishes of their careers at the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix. It was the first time that two drivers have taken their maiden podium finish in the same race since the 1994 German Grand Prix.
* Kevin Magnussen secured his first pole position in qualifying for the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, while George Russell took his first Grand Prix victory. It was the first time since the 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix that two different drivers secured their first pole and win in the same race weekend.
HISTORY
Well, I have dropped bits of history, mostly about the Interlagos track into this preview already so I will try not to repear too much.
The history of the Interlagos circuit dates back to the 1920s, when the city of São Paulo was undergoing a process of fast urbanization. Located in between the two enormous reservoirs which supply the city with drinking water it was said to be very similar to the Swiss town of Interlaken - so much so that the newly found neighbourhood was named "Interlagos" (which in Portuguese means "in between lakes") The actual circuit was not developed due to the late 1920's depression.
On 8 October 1933, an internationally renowned race took place in Brazil for the first time - the 1st International Grand Prix of the City of Rio de Janeiro.... the Grande Prêmio da Cidade de Rio de Janeiro if you prefer The race was held at the street-circuit of Gávea, also known as the "Trampolin Do Dial”..... "Devil's Springboard".
(I have seen it referred to as the "Devil's See-saw" as well.
During the 30s the races were held on the infamous 11.16km long Gavea track. The track followed the coast on the edge of a 30 m high cliff and returned to Gavea up in the mountains where it featured a series of hairpins in hazardous terrain. Here we see Irineu Correa in his Ford V8 special in one of the hairpins during the 1934 race.
The first race was held in 1933. In 1934 the Rio Grand Prix had still to reach international fame. The field consisted of South Americans who entered whatever cars they could get. During the mid 30s the Ford V8 proved to be a popular choice for local drivers, no matter if the races were run in Finland, Portugal or Brazil. Correa's car is stripped almost to its "bare bones".
The picture shows Brazilian Irineu Correa, who won the 1934 race. While the first race, run in 1933, had passed without any major incidents, the 1934 race was darkened by a fatal crash when Italian-born Stefano "Nino" Crespi hit a post on the Marques de Sao Vicente street. And Correa himself would be the next victim.
b]A video of the Historic car race at the Gávea Circuit in Rio de Janeiro in 1934 .[/b]
Rio 1935
View over the track depicts the Visconde de Albuquerque Avenue, with the canal placed alongside it, connecting some covered streams and a nearby lagoon with the sea, at Leblon Beach. Note the hilly terrain in the background. Nowadays the canal separates the Avenue in two tracks, but in 1935 only one track existed, located near the hills.
(Thanks to Forix.com for help with above.)
The success of the races that followed in Rio encouraged São Paulo to organize it's own Grand Prix, which took place in the city's streets on 12 July 1936, having as a starting point the prestigious Avenida Brasil. Sadly, however, disaster struck: French pilot Hellé-Nice lost control of her Alfa Romeo at the end of the race and hit nearby spectators. The accident resulted in 6 people dead and many injured.
On the run to the finish line, Hellé Nice struck an object on the track at almost 100 mph. Her Alfa Romeo violently veered to the left into the crowd. With only two wheels on the pavement, her car spun down the straight. The car came back down on its wheels and began to somersault down the track’s edge. Nice was thrown clear of the vehicle and hit one of the soldiers providing crowd control for the race. Nice’s car came to a stop in front of the main grandstand.
Hellé Nice fractured her skull but survived the impact. Unfortunately, the soldier who broke her fall lost his life. Three other soldiers also died, along with two civilians. The six fatalities and over 30 people injured make this incident still the deadliest in the history of Brazilian motorsport.
(I have not long finished reading the story of Hellé-Nice... aka "The Bugatti Queen. They cover this accident in that.)
Manuel de Teffé and Hellé Nice racing in São Paulo
This tragedy led the then president of the extinct Automobile Club of Brazil, Eusébio de Queiroz Mattozo, to realize how important it would be to have asuitable racing circuit in the country, and he urged Sanson to conclude the works at Interlagos.
The architechs then extensively researched the best circuits of the world at the time, such as Indianapolis in the U.S.A.; Brooklands in Great Britain; and Montlerthy in France. He also consulted experienced racing drivers. Maybe Tilke could learn a lesson from that.
The circuit's construction began in 1938 and the track was paved the following year, with its 7960 metres of the initial plan. Lack of financial resources meant that the circuit was approved by the extinct Automobile Club of Brazil even without the conclusion of the entire project - which would include grandstands, canteens, toilets, boxes, race control tower and a parking lot for 10000 vehicles. However, heavy rains postponed the official unveiling - initially scheduled for 19 November 1939 - to the following year.
Interlagos circuit was inaugurated on 12 May 1940, with the 3rd Grand Prix of the City of São Paulo and a motorcycle-race taking place. In 1957, the track was divided in two parts: an external ring, with 3205metres, for high-speed races; and another, mixed part, for more testing competitions.
At the end of 1967, the circuit was closed for renovations and it was reopened on 1 March 1970. In 1971, more renovations were provided in order to adjust the circuit to Formula 1 requirements. Although the track was there before his birth, it took the success of Emerson Fittipaldi to bring Formula One to it.
On 30 March 1972, a Formula 1 race took place for the first time in Interlagos - albeit not valid for points at the World Championship.
In 1972, the F1 World Championship calendar consisted of twelve Grand Prix races. Brazil had wanted to enter the championship as a host but FIA required a demonstration race as some kind of a quality test. Because of that, the first ever Brazilian Grand Prix was a non-championship race.
The race was held on March 30, between the second and third round of the championship. Eleven drivers were on the grid. The Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi delighted a home crowd by taking the pole position in a Lotus 72D. He was also the fastest driver in the race but Carlos Reutemann (Brabham) took the victory after Fittipaldi’s retirement on lap 33 (of 37). Ronnie Peterson (March) and Wilson Fittipaldi (Brabham) completed a podium.
Luis Bueno at the non Championship Brazilian GP 1972. He finished 6th. Another pic of him below trying hard
This was the circuit in those days
Obviously a later photo below.....
The event's success contributed to the inclusion of the race in the FIA Formula One World Championship. The first official race took place on 11 February 1973. Brazil's Emerson Fittipaldi was the winner, followed by Jackie Stewart and New Zealander Dennis Hulme.
Peterson takes pole in 1973..... sadly he retired on lap 5
Fittipaldi wins in 1973
A picture from the 1974 Brazilian Grand Prix
Much to their delight, the first three races were won by Brazilians, two by Emerson Fittipaldi and one by Carlos Pace. Interlagos was the venue for these early races but the Sao Paolo circuit was very different to one we know today. Within the same acreage the track was made up of 15 corners and, when compared to today’s truncated version, it amounted to a colossal five miles in distance. Long-sweeping top gear corners separated the men from the boys
In 1978 the F-1 Grand Prix was transferred to Rio de Janeiro's Jacarepaguá circuit, which had been built in 1966 and redesigned to comply with FIA specifications in 1977. The complaints about the very rough surface at Interlagos resulted with a move of the Brazilian Grand Prix to Jacarepagua circuit near Rio de Janeiro in 1978. Carlos Reutemann (Ferrari) clinched his third win. Emerson Fittipaldi reached a podium driving for his own team and Niki Lauda (Brabham) was third.
1978 winner Carlos Reutemann
The upgraded and modernized Interlagos hosted the race again in 1979 and 1980. The winners were two Frenchmen – Jacques Laffite (Ligier) in 1979 and Rene Arnoux (Renault) in 1980. In 1980, the municipality of São Paulo opted not to invest the necessary resources required to maintain the circuit at the required international standard.
Laffite on his way to the flag in 1979
Rio de Janeiro seized the opportunity and as of 1981 it became the host of the Brazilian Grand Prix. The race was held in Rio until 1989, when it came back to São Paulo.
So, from 1981 to 1989, the nine Brazilian Grand Prix took place at Jacarepagua. Carlos Reutemann scored his fourth win in 1981 but the ‘King of Rio’ in that period was Alain Prost who recorded five victories. In 1982, he won in a Renault and then four more times in a McLaren (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988).
Prost wins in 1982
The other race winners at Jacarepagua were Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell. Piquet won in a Brabham in 1983 and then in a Williams in 1986. Nigel Mansell closed the Jacarepagua era with a victory in a Ferrari in 1989.
1987 - Alain Prost’s victory by 40 seconds may not have been the most exciting of his career, but it epitomised what the Frenchman was all about. By judging the wear-rate of his Goodyear tyres to perfection, Prost saved himself from making a third pit stop on a day when tyres shredded in the blistering heat
1989 was the first race after the turbo ban and a selection of normally aspirated V8s, V10s and V12s replaced the forced induction four pots and V6s Formula 1 had become used to. Legend has it, Nigel Mansell booked his flight home for midway through the race, believing his Ferrari V12 and semi-automatic gearbox didn’t stand a chance of making it through the full race distance.
But his pessimism was misplaced and he romped home ahead of Prost’s McLaren to take a win in his first race for the Scuderia
In 1989, the reverse trend happened: Rio could no longer afford to keep the event, and the then mayor of São Paulo brought the F-1 Grand Prix back to São Paulo. By then (In 1985), the Interlagos circuit had been renamed José Carlos Pace, in honour of one the great Brazilian drivers of all time, who died in an airplane crash in 1977. He had also won the Brazilian GP in 1975.
Interlagos underwent a series of renovations, with the construction of new boxes and a race control tower, and the track itself was reduced to 4325 metres, complying thus with a new trend of shorter circuits.
Interlagos' F-1 reopening took place on 23 March 1990. The first winner on the new 4.325 km long circuit was Alain Prost in a Ferrari. It was his 40th Grand Prix win in a career, what was the record in that time, and also the record-breaking sixth win in Brazil. Gerhard Berger came home in second place and Ayrton Senna in third.
The track was very bumpy, and the tight corners posing some serious problems. A chicane (Senna Curves) has since been placed at the first corner, to slow the cars down.
1991 - Despite coming close on a number of occasions, Ayrton Senna didn’t win in Brazil until his seventh attempt – and even then it wasn’t easy. After taking an early lead in 1991, the Brazilian came under pressure from Mansell but the Brit’s charge was halted after his semi-automatic gearbox caught him out mid-corner. Senna then developed gearbox problems of his own and for the final seven laps he had to hold his McLaren in sixth as he drove one handed on a wet track. By the chequered flag he was just three seconds ahead of second-placed man Patrese (who was also suffering a gearbox glitch) and was greeted by the most unusual roar of relief from the crowd. Senna had given it his all and after pulling up in the pits he had to be lifted from the car due to exhaustion.
1991 Senna
Senna’s Emotional Home Win | 1991 Brazil Grand Prix
Senna’s second victory came two years later. This time, he was sharing a podium with Damon Hill (Williams) and Michael Schumacher (Benetton). Between two wins of Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell triumphed at Interlagos in 1992. He was on a podium together with teammate Riccardo Patrese and Michael Schumacher (Benetton).
Ayrton Senna drove his maiden race for Williams at this track. He had already achieved his dream of winning his home race in 1991 and again in horrendous conditions in 1993. Although he had hoped to win with Williams, it wasn't to be, and Michael Schumacher won the first race of his championship year.
After two consecutive third-place finishes at Interlagos in 1992 and 1993, Michael Schumacher finally reached the top podium spot in 1994, still driving for Benetton. Damon Hill (Williams) and Jean Alesi (Ferrari) completed a podium.
The 1995 season was the first year without Ayrton Senna, who lost his life in May 1994. Michael Schumacher scored his second win at Interlagos, again driving for Benetton. It was a controversial race because Schumacher’s car initially had been excluded for apparently using illegal fuel during the race, but then reinstated.
After several podiums earlier, Damon Hill finally won a race at Interlagos in 1996, driving for Williams-Renault. It was the first of his eight wins in the season which ended with Hill’s championship title.
Williams-Renault took one more victory in 1997, the race winner was Jacques Villeneuve.
Mika Häkkinen improved a score for McLaren with two wins in 1998 and 1999, and then Michael Schumacher added two more wins to his and Ferrari’s account in 2001 and 2002.
Between those two wins, David Coulthard won a race in a McLaren in 2001. Fans will always remember the 2001 event as the then rookie Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya made a daring move on Michael Schumacher. In wet conditions the Colombian passed the Ferrari on a restart, and would surely have won the event, only the third race of his F1 career, if not for a collision with the Arrows of Jos Verstappen as the Williams driver attempted to put a lap on the Dutchman. David Coulthard went on to win the event for McLaren while Michael Schumacher was back to his winning ways in 2002, even if soccer maestro and Brazils biggest ever sporting hero Pele waved the chequered flag to the wrong car!
Michael Schumacher at 2002 Brazilian Grand Prix
Giancarlo Fisichella secured his very first Grand Prix victory - and Jordan's final win - in the 2003 event, despite the fact that Kimi Raikkonen was initially declared the winner in a confusing accident strewn event. It was a race that anybody could have won. Locals’ favourite Rubens Barrichello looked to have a comfortable lead but was forced to retire with a ‘fuel pick-up’ problem. Michael Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya were just two of the five drivers who aquaplaned into the barriers on a torrent of water at turn three. And Fernando
Alonso brought the madness to an end with an almighty shunt at the top of the circuit, which prompted a red flag and started the debates over who should be crowned winner. Alonso was unable to get to the podium, (he claimed the podium due to being in third place when he crashed and the red flag resulting in the race called at the previous lap.
Ironically seasonal weather in the early part of the season enjoyed by the Brazilian race to 2003 changed for 2004 when the race was moved to an autumn date, becoming the season’s finale of the Formula 1 World Championship. The first such a race, which took place on October 24, was not decisive in the championship because Michael Schumacher already secured a title.
Tricky weather conditions added to the spice in 2004 with Juan Pablo Montoya coming through to take his only win of the season with BMW Williams with Kimi Raikkonen taking the second position just a second behind. Local hero Rubens Barrichello claimed the Pole Position but on race day had to be content with third position for Ferrari and his first finish at the circuit since 1994.
Montoya was mighty again in 2005 taking the win from McLaren team-mate Raikkonen while third placed Fernando Alonso did enough to wrap up his first championship success and become the sport's youngest ever World Champion.
2006 would also see Alonso take championship success at Interlagos in his Renault. The race was significant in that it was Michael Schumacher's final Grand Prix in his long and illustrious career while it was Alonso's final race with Renault. Qualifying did not go well for Schumacher as he was unable to take part in the final third part of the session due to a mechanical problem and therefore started final race from tenth position on the grid.
Before the race there was a presentation celbrating his career. Kimi Raikkonen, his replacement at Ferrari controversially missed it having a crap.
Felipe Massa bagged the pole in the Ferrari and would go on to dominate the race and record his second Grand Prix win and the first for a Brazilian since the late Ayrton Senna triumphed in 1993. Schumacher made a great start to the race only for his left rear tyre to fail just as he passed Renault rivals Giancarlo Fisichella. A slow lap to the pits and Schumacher was back out and carving his way through the field - catching and re-passing Fisichella and then a great outbraking move on Raikkonen for fourth position.
Out of laps, Schumacher had to settle for fourth on a day that we saw the German veteran bowing out.
While Massa took an emotional home win, Alonso was celebrating his second position and his back-to-back championship success. Jenson Button brought his Honda home third.
Oh and Williams had a bad day with Webber and Rosberg crashing into each other on lap 1 to give Cosworth a sad send off as they bowed out of F1.
Of course the 2007 race will be remembered for fact that Kimi Raikkonen, with a bit of help from Felipe took out that years race, and after a couple of mistakes and an off track excursion, Lewis Hamilton was out of the zone he needed to be in to win.
A temporary glitch with his gearbox had him recover from the rear of field , but not close enough to the 5th place he needed to stop KR winning the WDC. Of course McLaren posted a protest against the fuel of Williams and BMW, success in which might have given Lewis the points he needed to win the WDC, which was officially only settled the following month when the lawyers had got their say in it.
Kimi and Felipe had teamed up well to lead into T1
Oh and this might look familiar but in fact it is Heikki Kovalainen (pictured in the chair in the foreground) who had failed to finish a race for the first time in his Formula One career.
2008 of course we also had the all down to the wire (literally) with the closest ever finish to the WDC, with Massa winning and thinking he was WDC, only for a wet shod Lewis Hamilton to pass a dry tyre shod struggling for grip Timo Glock within site of the finish line to get the point he needed to pass Massa some 15 seconds later. Certainly one of the more nail biting races I have ever watched over the last 50 + years.... the two wins of Felipe Massa in 2006 and 2008, both as Ferrari driver were special. In 2006, he became the fifth Brazilian driver to win the Brazilian Grand Prix while his victory in 2008 was the last Brazilian triumph at Interlagos.
The final 5 laps of 2008
We also saw earlier in the race the long and mostly glorious career of Britains most successful (from a points and podiums POV) driver, after approaching 250 GP's driving his last F1 race. David 'DC' Coulthard, the most successful driver never to win the title, winded up his career with a special livery (and an inglorious early exit). Fifteen years prior, DC appeared in F1, sitting in the car that in effect had taken Ayrton Senna from us at Imola. 15 years on he had won many races, scored over 60 podiums and 535 points amount to him at the time being the most successful British Driver ever and the 5th highest points scorer of all time.
Pic Above....David Coulthard, Red Bull Racing as he and all his fellow drivers supports the Wings For Life charity at his final GP.
His car appeared emblazoned with a special charitable livery for his final Grand Prix, to promote the research foundation, Wings For Life, which hopes to find a cure for spinal cord injuries, “I'm dedicating my last race to the vision of making paraplegia curable,” said the Scot.
We also all assumed we had seen the last of local man Rubens Barrichello, due to the withdrawal of Honda.... Of course Rubens was still there the next year thanks to a Brawn lifeline, and that year stood as the man most likely to challenge Jenson Button's WDC aspirations, following Rubens best ever year.
In 2009, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix had became the season’s finale but the championship battle was decided in the penultimate round at Interlagos. Mark Webber (Red Bull) won the race while Jenson Button (Brawn) secured a title. Red Bull-Renault scored three more wins at Interlagos, with one more win of Mark Webber (2011) and two wins of Sebastian Vettel (2010, 2013).
In 2011, Abu Dhabi and Brazil switched places and Interlagos was a host of season’s finale from 2011 to 2013. Another switch on a calendar followed in 2014 when Abu Dhabi took over the season’s finale, retaining that position until today.
The race winners in that period were Jenson Button (McLaren, 2012), Nico Rosberg (Mercedes, 2014 and 2015), Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes, 2016 and 2018) and Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari, 2017).
Max wins in 2019....He shared a provisional podium with Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso) and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) but Hamilton received 5sec post-race penalty, so the third place went to Carlos Sainz Jr. (McLaren). For Both Gasly and Sainz, it was their maiden F1 podium.
Honda double on the podium
The race was pretty calm until the last few laps. On Lap 66, two Ferrari teammates sensationally collided. Vettel’s rear-left and Leclerc’s front-right tires touched, causing the retirement of both drivers.
After the restart, Alex Albon (Red Bull) was running in second place, looking for his maiden podium, but Hamilton tagged him with two laps to go. Albon dropped back to P14 while Hamilton stayed in the fight for the podium, crossing the finish line together with Pierre Gasly. However, five seconds have been added to Hamilton’s time after the race, putting him to P7 and promoting Carlos Sainz Jr. to P3.
INTERLAGOS WINNERS AND POLESITTERS
Year Polesitter Team On Pole Winner Winning Team
1973 Ronnie Peterson Lotus Emerson Fittipaldi Lotus
1974 Emerson Fittipaldi McLaren Emerson Fittipaldi McLaren
1975 Jean-Pierre Jarier Shadow Carlos Pace Brabham
1976 James Hunt McLaren Niki Lauda Ferrari
1977 James Hunt McLaren Carlos Reutemann Ferrari
1979 Jacques Laffite Ligier Jacques Laffite Ligier
1980 Jean-Pierre Jabouille Renault René Arnoux Renault
1990 Ayrton Senna McLaren Alain Prost Ferrari
1991 Ayrton Senna McLaren Ayrton Senna McLaren
1992 Nigel Mansell Williams Nigel Mansell Williams
1993 Alain Prost Williams Ayrton Senna McLaren
1994 Ayrton Senna Williams Michael Schumacher Benetton
1995 Damon Hill Williams Michael Schumacher Benetton
1996 Damon Hill Williams Damon Hill Williams
1997 Jacques Villeneuve Williams Jacques Villeneuve Williams
1998 Mika Häkkinen McLaren Mika Häkkinen McLaren
1999 Mika Häkkinen McLaren Mika Häkkinen McLaren
2000 Mika Häkkinen McLaren Michael Schumacher Ferrari
2001 Michael Schumacher Ferrari David Coulthard McLaren
2002 Juan Pablo Montoya Williams Michael Schumacher Ferrari
2003 Rubens Barrichello Ferrari Giancarlo Fisichella Jordan
2004 Rubens Barrichello Ferrari Juan Pablo Montoya Williams
2005 Fernando Alonso Renault Juan Pablo Montoya McLaren
2006 Felipe Massa Ferrari Felipe Massa Ferrari
2007 Felipe Massa Ferrari Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari
2008 Felipe Massa Ferrari Felipe Massa Ferrari
2009 Rubens Barrichello Brawn Mark Webber Red Bull
2010 Nico Hulkenberg Williams Sebastian Vettel Red Bull
2011 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Mark Webber Red Bull
2012 Lewis Hamilton McLaren Jenson Button McLaren
2013 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Sebastian Vettel Red Bull
2014 Nico Rosberg Mercedes Nico Rosberg Mercedes
2015 Nico Rosberg Mercedes Nico Rosberg Mercedes
2016 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
2017 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes Sebastian Vettel Ferrari
2018 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
2019 Max Verstappen Red Bull Max Verstappen Red Bull
2021 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
2022 Kevin Magnussen Haas George Russell Mercedes
2023 is just up the page.
MOST POLES Ayrton Senna, Mika Häkkinen, Rubens Barrichello, Felipe Massa, Lewis Hamilton (3)
MOST WINS Michael Schumacher (4)
Jacarepaguá Winners
1978 Argentina Carlos Reutemann Ferrari
1981 Argentina Carlos Reutemann Williams-Ford
1982 France Alain Prost[a] Renault
1983 Brazil Nelson Piquet Brabham-BMW
1984 France Alain Prost McLaren-TAG
1985 France Alain Prost McLaren-TAG
1986 Brazil Nelson Piquet Williams-Honda
1987 France Alain Prost McLaren-TAG
1988 France Alain Prost McLaren-Honda
1989 United Kingdom Nigel Mansell Ferrari
These are from F1.com so you will need to click the watch on youtube button.
Some classic flashpoints from the Interlagos archives!
5 Dramatic Moments | Sao Paulo Grand Prix
Five Shocking Moments from the Brazilian Grand Prix
5 Feelgood Moments In Brazil |
Top 10 Most Emotional Moments at the Brazilian Grand Prix
UPDATE ON MAX'S ENGINE PENALTY
Although we now know that he is taking a new engine the exact nature of the penalty is unknown / being kept under wraps at the moment.
Word is that it might be for the whole package which would entail a rear of grid start and onlycompound the issues to Max alluded to earlier.....
Heading into the weekend, Verstappen had already used one additional internal combustion engine element and was on the limit in terms of the turbocharger, MGU-H and MGU-K, energy store, control electronics, and exhausts.
It’s unclear exactly which elements will be introduced this weekend and, therefore, the precise scale of the penalty. Paddock rumour would suggest an entirely new unit. Such a move would necessitate a rear-of-grid start for Sunday’s race, though Verstappen’s Sprint starting position would be unaffected.
I just hope I get to see the full highlights of this one! 
