A closer look at Interlagos with Barrichello and de Ferran

A unique and exciting circuit, infamous for its bumps and occasionally torrid weather conditions, the race at Interlagos will bring to a close one of the most exciting Formula One seasons in recent years.

The anti-clockwise Autodromo José Carlos Pace was built in a natural bowl that has gradually been absorbed by the sprawling city of São Paulo. The original track, first used in 1940, twisted around itself between two lakes hence the name Interlagos. The new shorter version misses out much of the old track but maintains the stand-out feature – a steep start line straight.

“Interlagos is a challenging circuit because it is one of the few anti-clockwise tracks on the calendar,” says Sporting Director Gil de Ferran, a Brazilian national. “Furthermore, the circuit is notoriously bumpy, placing particular emphasis on mechanical set-up, however we expect that this should suit our car.”

“The track is physically very tough because it’s left-handed and quite bumpy,” continues Honda race driver and fellow countryman Rubens Barrichello. “Some people say it’s easy, but that’s not the case because you need to have a good compromise between the low and the high-speed corners. You can’t concede straight-line speed for extra grip through the slow corners, otherwise you will be overtaken."