What makes the Sao Paulo Grand Prix special – and why you should see it

The Sao Paulo Grand Prix is held at Interlagos, a circuit where building work began in 1938 and where, in 2008, the World Championship changed hands on the final lap.

F1 first raced at Interlagos for World Championship points in 1973, and Brazilian drivers won the first three Grands Prix held there – Emerson Fittipaldi in 1973 and 1974, and Carlos Pace in 1975. The circuit returned to the calendar in 1990, the race has carried the Sao Paulo name since 2021.

Here is what makes a lap of the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace such a test, and why the race is always worth watching all the way to the chequered flag.

Up the hill and into the Senna Esses

The designers of Interlagos drew on three established circuits – Brooklands in the UK, Roosevelt Raceway in the USA and Montlhery in France. The track was built with banked corners and, between 1957 and F1’s return in 1990, could be run as a giant oval.

For the drivers, the lap opens on a banked half oval before they brake for Turn 1 and the Senna Esses (named after three-time World Champion Ayrton Senna). From there, they drop down to Turn 4 and into a twisting infield, where challenging changes of camber – the angle at which the track surface slopes – test car and driver alike. The lap ends with a climb back up the hill and through the banked final turn onto the start-finish straight.

Around the circuit, the weekend has a carnival atmosphere. On track, Turn 1 and the Senna Esses are the best places to watch overtaking – and every climb back up the hill brings the cars there once more.

When is the next Sao Paulo Grand Prix?

The 2026 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, the 20th round of the season, runs from Friday 6 November to Sunday 8 November. Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2 are held on Friday, Free Practice 3 and Qualifying on Saturday, and the Grand Prix, over 71 laps, on Sunday.

Check out the RACE HUB to see when each F1 session starts in your local time zone, wherever you are in the world.

What happened at the last Sao Paulo Grand Prix?

Lando Norris won both the Sprint and the Grand Prix for McLaren in 2025, converting pole position into victory on Sunday. Kimi Antonelli finished second for Mercedes, while Max Verstappen started from the pit lane for Red Bull and recovered to third. It was Norris’ seventh win of the season and left him 24 points clear of team mate Oscar Piastri in the drivers’ standings, with three rounds to go.

Check out that RACE HUB to catch up on news, reports and highlights from every session of that weekend.

Why we love the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace

Known to most simply as Interlagos, the circuit measures 4.309km (2.677 miles) and has 15 turns. The Grand Prix runs over 71 laps, and the fastest of them in a race came in 2018, when Valtteri Bottas set the record of 1m 10.540s.

As set out above, the lap packs a great deal into a short distance: the drop through the Senna Esses, the twisting infield and, in the closing stretch, the uphill left-hander at Juncao, which opens the climb through the banked final turn to the line. It was at Juncao that the 2008 title was decided.

Then there is the setting. Because the circuit sits in a bowl, spectators on the banked entry to the start-finish straight can watch the cars wind through the infield and then pass beneath them. From there, much of the lap unfolds in front of you.

F1 cars are on track on all three days of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend, and each session sharpens the picture for the next: practice on Friday, Qualifying on Saturday to set the grid, and the Grand Prix on Sunday.

The racing does not stop between the F1 sessions. Supporting categories compete on all three days, filling the timetable with more wheel-to-wheel action around Interlagos.

The official race website carries the latest details of everything else planned across the weekend, which may change.

Memorable moments in Sao Paulo

Interlagos has seen a World Championship settled on the final lap, drives from deep in the field to victory and a first Grand Prix win.

Here is a selection of the moments that stand out.

2008 – Felipe Massa won his home race for Ferrari and, for a few seconds, looked to be World Champion. But in late rain, Lewis Hamilton – on intermediate tyres – passed Timo Glock’s slick-shod Toyota at Juncao on the final lap to take the fifth place he needed, winning the title by a single point.

2012 – Jenson Button won the season finale for McLaren, but the day belonged to Sebastian Vettel. Dropped to last on the opening lap, the Red Bull driver recovered to sixth – enough to take the title ahead of Fernando Alonso, who finished second for Ferrari.

2016 – Hamilton won a rain-hit race lasting more than three hours – his first victory at Interlagos – with Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg second. Behind them, Verstappen worked his way back through the field in the closing laps to finish third.

2021 – A technical issue with his rear wing sent Hamilton to the back of the grid for the Sprint, in which he climbed to fifth. A five-place grid penalty then left him 10th for the Grand Prix, but he worked his way forward and passed Verstappen on Lap 59 to win, cutting his title rival’s lead from 21 points to 14.

2022 – George Russell took his first Grand Prix victory, holding off Hamilton at a late restart to lead a Mercedes 1-2 by 1.5s. It was the team’s first win of the season, with Carlos Sainz third for Ferrari.

2024 – Verstappen started 17th and won a wet, red-flagged race by 19.477s, his first victory since June. Behind him, Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly gave Alpine a surprise double podium, while polesitter Norris finished sixth as Verstappen extended his championship lead to 62 points.

How can I watch the Sao Paulo Grand Prix?

If you can make it to Sao Paulo, head to F1 Tickets to secure your place at the circuit. F1 Experiences has a range of premium ticket packages too, getting you closer to Formula 1 than ever before.

If you are watching from elsewhere, you can find details of the broadcaster in your area by clicking here.

You can also follow every session via F1 TV Pro (in selected countries only).