In 1938 a huge plot of land was bought in Sao Paulo by two local property developers who intended to build a large housing development.
It soon became clear, however, that one part of the land was not suitable for housing and so they decided to build a racing circuit instead. Sao Paulo grew at an incredible speed though and soon the circuit was surrounded by houses.
When, in the 1970s, Emerson Fittipaldi began to have international success, the Brazilians started to want a Grand Prix. In 1971 and 1972 Interlagos hosted non-championship events but in 1973 the track staged its first championship Grand Prix.
The track became a lucky charm for local racers, with Fittipaldi and Carlos Pace taking the spoils of victory in the 1970s. Interlagos was the scene of Pace’s first and only Formula One triumph, and following his death in a plane crash the circuit was renamed in his honour.
In 1978 the Grand Prix moved to Rio, but in 1979 Interlagos got its race back. By 1981, however, Rio had retaken the Grand Prix, Sao Paulo’s slums being at odds with the glamorous image Formula One wanted to portray. When a $15m redevelopment programme was agreed in the heyday of Ayrton Senna, a Sao Paulo local, the race finally switched back to Interlagos.
And there it has stayed. Since Senna’s death there has been no Brazilian world champion, but the passion of the Brazilian fans keeps the sport coming back every year.
The key corner – Turn 12
Also known as Juncao, this third-gear left hander is taken at about 130km/h. It’s crucial to get the power down cleanly because the long, uphill drag to the start-finish straight follows – at the end of which is one of the best overtaking points on the lap. If you get what is effectively the final corner of the lap wrong, you could be preyed upon into the Senna ‘S’…
3 Brazilians have won the Brazilian Grand Prix
Since 1973 when the race was officially made a part of the Formula One calendar, 5 native drivers from Brazil have the race here. The first Brazilian to win the race here was 2-time champion Emerson Fittipaldi who won in 1973 and 1974.
Carlos Pace won the following year and history was made as the first 3 races at the Interlagos circuit were all won by Brazilians. Nelson Piquet won the race in 1983 and again took the chequered flag here in 1986.
3-time World Champion Ayrton Senna won the race here in 1991 and 1993 and was largely the inspiration behind the revamping of the Circuit. Felipe Massa is the last Brazilian to win here having done so twice in 2006 and 2008 for Scuderia Ferrari.
Michael Schumacher’s last race for Ferrari
After the Chinese Grand Prix of 2006, Michael Schumacher had announced his retirement from the Sport at the end of the season. The final race of his Formula One career as a driver for Scuderia Ferrari came at the 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix.
Although going into the race Schumacher only had a slim chance of winning the Driver’s Championship, he wanted to sign off on a high note. Schumacher had to endure some disappointment as he started 10th on the grid before dropping further back to 19th owing to a tyre puncture.
But the German was resilient and staged a spectacular comeback to finish 4th from the bottom of the grid. It was a momentous occasion and displayed the exemplary skills of the great German. The race was eventually won by Schumacher’s Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa who won his first race in his native country.
Michael set the time for the fastest lap of the race.
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