Brazil Circuit Guide
Friday 10 February 2012 11:22, UK
The Brazilian Grand Prix provides a fitting end to the season, with the carnival atmosphere at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace.
The Brazilian Grand Prix provides a fitting end to the season, with the carnival atmosphere at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace. Better known as Interlargos, it was renamed to honour Brazilian F1 driver Jose Carlos Pace, who died in a plane crash in 1985. Compared to most modern day F1 tracks the circuit is underdeveloped. The pit-buildings are old and small, the paddock is cramped, and the track service is very bumpy, with every undulation of the ground visible on the track. Major resurfacing work in 2009 smoothed the circuit slightly, but compared to somewhere like Abu Dhabi, the surface is a rumble strip - but that adds to the charm of the circuit set in the suburbs of Sao Paulo. The long run up hill, through a left kink and over the start finish line, leads into a good overtaking spot at turn 1. If a driver is brave enough to stay on the outside he can try and fight back immediately as the cars twist through the Senna S. Turn 4 is another overtaking spot and the DRS zone was positioned on the run to this corner in 2011. Turns 8 and 12 have also seen action in the past. Revisions to the pit-lane entry are planned for 2012 as well as moving back the grand stands through the fast turns 14 and 15 to improve safety.
