The circuit is situated in the Interlagos neighborhood, a region positioned between the artificial lakes of Guarapiranga and Billings, which were constructed in the early 20th century for water and electric power. The name "Interlagos" translates to "between lakes" in Portuguese and was suggested by French architect Alfred Agache, inspired by the Interlaken region of Switzerland.
The land was originally purchased in 1926 by property developers for housing. Following the 1929 stock market crash, the project shifted toward the construction of a racing circuit. Work began in 1938, with the design drawing inspiration from international venues including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Roosevelt Raceway, Brooklands, and Montlhéry. The track was inaugurated on 12 May 1940 by Adhemar de Barros.
Formula One first arrived at Interlagos in 1972 for a non-championship race won by Carlos Reutemann. The circuit hosted its first World Championship event in 1973, won by São Paulo native Emerson Fittipaldi. Fittipaldi repeated his victory in 1974, followed by a win for José Carlos Pace in 1975.
During this era, the circuit featured a 7.960 km (4.946 mi) layout. However, by 1980, the track faced severe criticism regarding safety. Drivers, led by defending world champion Jody Scheckter, protested the "appallingly bumpy" surface, which was particularly difficult for the ground-effect cars of the period. These concerns, along with inadequate barriers and deep ditches, led Formula One to move the Brazilian Grand Prix to the Jacarepaguá circuit in Rio de Janeiro after the 1980 event.
In 1990, Formula One returned to Interlagos following a $15 million redevelopment that shortened the track to approximately 4.3 km. This modern layout has remained largely unchanged, with the exception of pit exit extensions and safety modifications.
Since moving to a late-season slot in 2004, the circuit has been the site of numerous championship-deciding races:
2005–2006: Fernando Alonso secured consecutive world titles, with Renault winning the constructors' championship in 2006.
2007: Kimi Räikkönen won the championship after entering the final race seven points behind the leader.
2008: Felipe Massa won the race but lost the world title to Lewis Hamilton, who secured the necessary points with a final-lap overtake of Timo Glock.
2009: Jenson Button clinched the driver's championship for Brawn GP after starting the race from 14th position.
2010: Nico Hülkenberg took pole position for Williams, while Sebastian Vettel's victory helped Red Bull Racing secure the constructors' title.
The circuit is known for unpredictable weather, often influenced by its location in the "Land of the Drizzle," where conditions can shift rapidly from light rain to torrential storms. Physical demands are high due to the counterclockwise orientation, which subjects drivers' necks to centrifugal forces pushing to the right.
Safety and infrastructure have remained central to the circuit's history. In 2007, the track underwent its most significant repairs in 35 years, involving a total replacement of the asphalt and enhancements to the pit entrance. In 2012, further upgrades were planned following fatal accidents at the venue in 2011, eventually resulting in a new pit building and a chicane added to the pit entrance in 2014. During the 2023 Grand Prix weekend, extreme weather caused a roof within the complex to collapse due to high winds.
In 1985, the circuit was officially renamed Autódromo José Carlos Pace to honor the Brazilian driver, known as "Moco," who died in a plane crash in 1977.
In August 2024, Pace's body was transferred from a vandalized mausoleum to the circuit. Following a ceremony attended by his family and a final lap of the track driven by his son, Rodrigo, in a 1967 Karmann-Ghia, Pace was buried next to a bust in his honor. This made him the first deceased driver to be interred within a racing circuit.
Interlagos remains the primary motorsport venue in Brazil. Its current Formula One contract extends through 2030. The circuit features one of the longest full-throttle sections on the F1 calendar, stretching from the exit of Junção through the uphill Subida dos Boxes and across the start-finish line to the first corner.
The circuit hosts a wide variety of international and national championships, including:
International: FIA World Endurance Championship (2012–2014, 2024), FIA GT1 World Championship (2010), and the Brazilian motorcycle Grand Prix (1992).
National: Stock Car Brasil, Copa Truck, Formula 3 Sudamericana, and Mil Milhas Brasil.
Non-Motorsport: The Prova Ciclística 9 de Julho road cycling race was held at the venue for several years between 2002 and 2013. Since 2014, the circuit has hosted the Lollapalooza music festival.
The facility includes a dedicated karting circuit named after three-time world champion Ayrton Senna. The main track's first sequence of corners, the "S do Senna," is also named in his honor. In 2007, accessibility was improved with the opening of the Autódromo station on the CPTM metropolitan train line.
This article was drafted using a corpus consisting of the Wikipedia entry for the Interlagos Circuit (Autódromo José Carlos Pace). No primary archives, specialist publications, or external biographies were consulted.
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