The Formula 1 season’s final Sprint event for 2023 takes place in Brazil, one of the sport’s historical venues. The circuit, named after Jose Carlos Pace, is one of the shortest on the calendar at 4.309 km. Located near Sao Paulo, it comes with unique features, particularly its high altitude at 800 meters above sea level, similar to the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit. The Sunday race consists of 71 laps, totaling a distance of 305.879 km. The track’s layout and characteristics will force teams to opt for a setup with medium to high aerodynamic load. The choice of setup is crucial, especially in a weekend that includes the Sprint format. Let’s now explore the main challenges and compromises teams will face in our analysis of the Interlagos track.
Sector 1 at the Interlagos Circuit
The lap of the Brazilian circuit begins at the highest point of its 4.309 km length. From there, the cars head to one of the track’s most iconic sections, “S do Senna,” a downhill left-right combination where teams need to avoid lifting the rear due to weight transfers. This is one of the few points where brakes will be under stress, with a maximum deceleration of 4.5 G. After this section, drivers will immediately face a wide left turn that leads to the track’s second straight. This slightly downhill section also features the DRS zone and serves as an excellent opportunity for overtaking. The end of this straight also marks the conclusion of the first sector.
Sector 2
The second part of the circuit opens with a significantly challenging braking point. Here, brakes will exert approximately 4.5 G of deceleration. Drivers must pay special attention not to exceed the curb to avoid curve 4’s track limits. From here, it’s full throttle through one of the track’s most enjoyable sections. Approaching turn 6, drivers will lightly tap the brake with slight steering input, which might unsettle the car’s rear during entry. The ideal racing line is crucial to avoid arriving late at turns 7 and 8, another point where braking while turning is required. This is where the slower section begins, demanding traction and a rear suspension capable of squatting for maximum grip on corner exit.
Crucial in this section are the significant changes in elevation from 8 to 10. Traction is also pivotal in the final sector’s preparation. It’s relatively easy to experience oversteer here as the change in slope encourages accelerating earlier than necessary. From here, it’s onto turn 11, a wide and fast downhill left curve that also marks the conclusion of the second sector.
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Sector 3
The final portion of the track, despite having few corners, is crucial for the lap’s success. Starting from turn 12 and extending to the finish line, the racing line significantly influences the lap time. Analyzing turn 12, drivers face a sharp uphill braking point that could affect the braking reference point. It’s crucial to pay attention to the exit to avoid riding too far over the curb and losing time. Once sure they haven’t exceeded the curb, drivers open the throttle to reach the finish line as quickly as possible. Here, aerodynamic efficiency plays an important role and benefits from the DRS zone starting at turn 14.
Pirelli‘s Tire Choices for the Interlagos Track
As with Mexico, Pirelli has chosen the intermediate range of slick compounds for Interlagos. As the track isn’t extremely demanding on tires, the tire wear won’t be excessive. The evolving track conditions will be a key factor in achieving the best lap times.
Source: f1ingenerale
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