Interlagos guide: what makes the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace a challenge

Formula 1 heads to Brazil for Round 20, with the race held at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace in Sao Paulo. F1 has raced in the country for more than 50 years, with the first championship event held at Interlagos in 1973. The track was named after Carlos Pace in 1985, and the paddock settled at Interlagos for good after renovations that shortened and resurfaced the circuit ahead of the 1990 season.

The track is one of the shorter F1 circuits at 4.3km and is known for unpredictable weather, an anti-clockwise layout and extreme elevation changes. Conditions can switch from sunshine to heavy rain within minutes, making tyre choice difficult. Former Renault F1 driver Jolyon Palmer described the first corner as tricky, with the middle sector demanding rhythm and the final corner critical for exit speed onto the long straight back up the hill.