Formula One Preview: São Paulo Grand Prix
Formula One’s latest triple header concludes in Brazil with a new world champion and, unusually, no sprint race.
Circuit guide
Interlagos has hosted 42 previous World Championship Grands Prix, the first in 1973.
After a brief move to Jacarepaguá in Rio in 1978, before a longer-term move during the 1980s, the Brazilian Grand Prix returned to São Paulo in 1990 and has been a staple of the calendar ever since, the COVID-affected 2020 season aside.
The original circuit layout, almost eight kilometres in length, was used until 1980, with the truncated version, still largely based on the original, introduced in 1990. The current layout, at just 4.3 kilometres, is one of the shortest that F1 currently visits.
It may be a short lap, but it certainly packs a punch. Like many of the sport’s most iconic circuits, the corners around the track are best known by name rather than number. The Senna Esses, Descida do Lago, Ferradura and Junçáo, to name just a few, are some of the most famous corners on the calendar.
Elevation also plays an important role at Interlagos. At 739 metres above sea level at its lowest point, the circuit sits at the second-highest elevation of the season below only Mexico City.
Furthermore, the 43-metre elevation change between the highest and lowest points on the circuit ranks Interlagos third behind only Spa and the Red Bull Ring in terms of undulation.
Weekend format
Prior to this season, Interlagos has hosted a sprint race every year since the format was introduced in 2021. For the first time since 2019, though, this week the Brazilian crowd will see three practice sessions followed by Qualifying and the Grand Prix.
Session times (GMT)
Practice 1 Fri 15:30 – 16:30
Practice 2 Fri 19:00 – 20:00
Practice 3 Sat 14:30 – 15:30
Qualifying Sat 18:00 – 19:00
Race Sun 17:00
Weather forecast
Rain regularly gets involved in proceedings at Interlagos and it looks as though that will be the case once more in 2026.
After a dry Friday, thundery showers are poised to shake up Qualifying while rain is also likely to be in the air on Sunday. Air temperatures as low as 17 degrees Celsius may also affect tyre behaviour, too.
Major talking points
One down, one to go for Mercedes: Having wrapped up the title that the fans care about, now it’s time to take care of the one that matters to the teams: the Constructors’ Championship.
With a 126-point lead over Ferrari, Mercedes are on the cusp of their first title since 2021. All they need to do is outscore the Scuderia by three points in Brazil, with a lead of 129 or more points with three races to go securing them the title.
Antonelli to stick to his roots: Mercedes’ new world drivers’ champion Kimi Antonelli has confirmed that he will continue to race with his “very special” number 12 next season, foregoing the opportunity to sport the number 1.
He follows in the footsteps of Lewis Hamilton, who opted to stay faithful to 44 during his heyday, while Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Sebastian all opted to trade in their personalised number for the mark of the world champion.
Antonelli has said the choice will help him to “stay grounded” as he looks to defend his crown.
Ferrari fallout post-Mexico: It is fair to say that Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were not best of friends after the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Hamilton felt his teammate’s actions had cost him a victory and the team a one-two finish, and slammed the Monégasque’s attitude as “either I win, or we all lose”.
Leclerc accepted he deserved the time penalty he incurred for leaving the track at Turn 4, while the seven-time champion called for “serious talks” to discuss how the pair could better work together in future.
Grab the popcorn if the two find themselves wheel to wheel in São Paulo.
Ocon gone for good: As much of a shock as it was for Esteban Ocon to be replaced mid-way through the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend, it is not in the least bit surprising that Haas have confirmed the Frenchman will no longer race for the team.
Ocon was already due to leave the team at the end of the year, reportedly had an irreparable falling out with team bosses after FP2, although he denied reports that he had exerted physical violence.
Formula 2 leader Rafa Câmara, who has signed for Haas for 2027, will now make his F1 debut in front of his home crowd at Interlagos. He had previously been scheduled to drive for Ferrari in FP1.
Leclerc to become father: Charles Leclerc will be a late arrival to this weekend’s Grand Prix as he attends the birth of his first child.
The Monégasque will become the latest member of the F1 Dads’ club, after Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso also became parents in the last 18 months.
Like the other two, who had to rush to races in Miami and Japan respectively, Leclerc will have to dash across the world to Brazil. It just has to be that such a momentous event can’t fall conveniently during the European leg of the season!
Past São Paulo Grands Prix
F1’s biggest stars tend to shine in São Paulo, with Interlagos witnessing some of the greatest back-to-front drives in the sport’s history.
Lando Norris led home Kimi Antonelli in last season's race, while Max Verstappen staged a remarkable comeback to finish third after a pitlane start.
Verstappen was on the move in 2024 as well, as he delivered one of the all-time great F1 victories to win from 17th on the grid. It was only the sixth time any driver in the sport had ever triumphed from that far back.
Go back a little further and you find the blockbuster 2021 event, when Hamilton went from last at the start of the sprint race all the way to victory in the Grand Prix, enjoying a titanic tussle for the lead with title rival Verstappen en route.
If we expand our horizons to the days of the Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos became synonymous with title-deciding races, the most recent of which was in 2012. Sebastian Vettel won his third World Championship despite spinning on the opening lap and dropping to 24th, while his vanquished opponent Alonso delivered his iconic thousand-yard stare in parc fermé.
Four years prior, in 2008, Hamilton astonishingly won the World Championship, overtaking Timo Glock’s Toyota as the heavens opened to snatch the title on the final corner of the final lap.
Jenson Button (2009), Kimi Raikönnen (2007) and Alonso (2005 and 2006) all also won the title in Brazil, although Button’s coronation came in the penultimate race of the season.
The 1991 edition of the Brazilian Grand Prix also lives on in F1 legend, when home hero Ayrton Senna finally claimed victory in front of his home crowd despite losing third, fourth and fifth gears. The Brazilian was so exhausted from his efforts that he suffered nausea and muscle cramps and was barely able to lift his trophy on the podium.
Drivers to watch
Lewis Hamilton: This week’s São Paulo Grand Prix feels like a huge opportunity for Hamilton and Ferrari after the disappointment of last week’s Mexico City Grand Prix.
Brazil is like a second home race for the seven-time champion, who was made an honorary citizen in 2022. With three race victories and the most dramatic of title wins in 2008, Hamilton has generally gone well at Interlagos, even if he retired from last year’s race.
The track should also suit Ferrari, who had the fastest package last weekend in Mexico in no small part down to the altitude. Elevation is again a factor in Brazil, albeit much less of one, but should again benefit the Scuderia. Similarly, the high downforce requirements of Sector 2 in particular should play right into the hands of the SF-26.
Pierre Gasly: The Alpine driver has enjoyed some of the best days of his career at Interlagos, with two of his five career podiums coming in São Paulo.
Gasly beat Hamilton’s Mercedes to the line in a drag race for second place during his Toro Rosso days in 2019, before completing a double podium for Alpine in third behind Esteban Ocon two years ago.
Both Alpine drivers crossed the line inside the top ten in Mexico City, before the pair were handed post-race penalties for speeding under yellow flags. The team has positive memories of Brazil, though, and will fancy a good result to bounce back this weekend.
Gabriel Bortoleto: The young Brazilian has only raced in front of his home crowd once in single-seaters, at last year’s São Paulo Grand Prix.
It didn’t prove to be a particularly enjoyable weekend for Bortoleto, though, as he crashed heavily at Turn 1 in the sprint race before retiring on the opening lap of the Grand Prix following contact with Lance Stroll.
Bortoleto has already recorded back-to-back P8 finishes once this season, at Silverstone and Spa, and after finishing eighth in Mexico last weekend will surely be more than satisfied with a similar outcome at Interlagos.
Edited by Marit Everett
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