The Autodromo Carlos Pace in Sao Paulo Brazil plays host to the F1 circus in this their second last race for the season. However, with the Constructors championship already sealed, no nail biting down to the wire racing at this meeting.
The Brazilian GP has been famous over the years for the unruly crowd and circuit signs that fall down. With the time difference between that side of the world and us, I believe the event will begin at 11 p.m. Thai time on Sunday November 13. Being the world’s great optimist, we watch the big screen at Jameson’s Irish Pub, hoping for some nail-biting action. Come and join us for a few ales before the start. I will be sitting on my usual perch in front of the big screen in Jameson’s, so come and keep me company. We’ll have a couple of ales and rubbish the commentary, unless it is a nail-biting race. And pay particular attention to Herr Vettel’s Dario outbursts.
Interlagos Circuit History:
The name Interlagos comes from the Portuguese for ‘between the lakes’ because the circuit was built in a natural bowl which had two small lakes in it. Their position dictated the layout of the 7.2 km track which was built in 1954 close to Sao Paolo (Ayrton Senna’s home city).
Interlagos hosted the Brazilian GP from the first non-championship race in 1972 through to 1980, with the exception of 1978 when it was held in Rio de Janeiro. After 1980, it went to Rio again, until 1989 when it returned to Interlagos, where it has remained.
This coincided with a new layout which retained the old section on both sides of the start/finish line. The infield kept the character of the original, but lap distance was shortened from 7.2 km to 4.3 km. One of the new corners was named after Ayrton Senna.
The official name of the circuit is the Autodromo Carlos Pace in memory of Pace, the Brazilian, who scored the only Grand Prix win of his brief career at Interlagos in 1975.
