Interlagos was inaugurated on 12 May 1940 and renamed in 1985 to honour Brazilian Formula One driver José Carlos Pace, who died in a plane crash in 1977. Its name derives from the neighbourhood of Interlagos, meaning "between lakes" in Portuguese, referring to the two large artificial reservoirs of Guarapiranga and Billings that flank the site.
The circuit is notable for running counterclockwise, a relatively uncommon configuration that places centrifugal forces on drivers' and riders' necks toward the right rather than the left. The track follows naturally hilly terrain rather than flat land, producing significant elevation changes that make it physically demanding and place extra load on power units. The sequence of corners includes the iconic double-apex Senna S at the start, the long Reta Oposta back straight, and an extended series of linked left-handers from the exit of Junção all the way through Arquibancadas and back to the start-finish line — a stretch regularly taken at or near full throttle.
The region around the circuit is known for rapid and dramatic weather changes. Rain can arrive without warning and intensify quickly, creating mixed conditions that have defined numerous Formula One races at the venue and would have shaped motorcycle racing there as well.
The Brazilian motorcycle Grand Prix at Interlagos was held in 1992, as part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Championship calendar. It represented the highest profile two-wheel event held at the São Paulo circuit and one of the very few occasions on which South America hosted a round of the world championship. The event was not repeated in subsequent seasons, making 1992 the sole instance of the Brazilian motorcycle Grand Prix at Interlagos.
The circuit's technical characteristics — its combination of slow, tight corners in the stadium section, long straights, and the physically demanding counterclockwise layout — presented a challenge distinct from the predominantly European tracks that dominated the World Championship calendar of that era.
For most of its history Interlagos has been primarily associated with Formula One, hosting the Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix continuously since the circuit was reconfigured in 1990. The original layout, used from 1973 to 1980, measured nearly 8 km and was deemed too dangerous for the ground-effect cars of the period, resulting in the race moving to the Jacarepaguá circuit in Rio de Janeiro from 1981 to 1989. The 1990 resurfacing and shortening brought Formula One back permanently.
The circuit has been the site of several title-deciding moments: Kimi Räikkönen won the 2007 World Championship at Interlagos after entering the final race seven points behind the leader; Felipe Massa won the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix and came within a fraction of the championship before Lewis Hamilton completed the necessary overtake on the final lap; and Jenson Button sealed his 2009 title despite starting from 14th position on the grid.
A 2007 resurfacing replaced the entire asphalt at Interlagos and added a new pit lane entrance, and 2012 plans for a comprehensive redevelopment — including a new pit building and start-line relocation — were eventually modified to retain the start-finish position while still constructing new pit facilities. The current Formula One contract extends to 2030.
Beyond Formula One and the 1992 motorcycle Grand Prix, Interlagos has hosted the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft in 1996, the FIA GT1 World Championship in 2010, and the FIA World Endurance Championship at various points including a return in 2024. It remains the principal motorsport venue in Brazil, hosting national championships including Stock Car Brasil, Fórmula Truck, and Copa Truck on a regular basis.
The venue has also served as the location for the Brazilian edition of the Lollapalooza music festival since 2014, demonstrating its role as a multi-purpose events facility in São Paulo.
In 2024, the remains of José Carlos Pace — for whom the circuit has been named since 1985 — were reinterred at the track itself, making Pace the first deceased racing driver to be buried at a circuit named in his honour.