Circuit Guide · São Paulo, Brazil
Short, lumpy, anti-clockwise. A circuit that rewards traction over outright pace, and weather changes more than tyre strategies do. The most-overtaking-prone race of the season for the last decade.
Sector 1 · The Senna S
Hard braking into a left-right complex with downhill camber. Cars that brake late and rotate cleanly leave the S with momentum onto the long Reta Oposta. McLaren's 2024 advantage was almost entirely here.
Sector 2 · Reta Oposta & Descida do Lago
This is the sector where the 2026 Red Bull has consistently lost time, they have the top-speed but not the rotation. Mercedes typically gain a tenth here and lose two in S1.
Sector 3 · Junção and the climb
Junção exit determines a car's run to the pit straight DRS, a 0.1s loss here costs 0.4s by the line. This is why a great race lap at Interlagos almost always lives or dies in the last 25 seconds.
Overtakes
Weather
Pole conversion
Strategy
Two zones · detection at T15 & T3
1.2 km from the line into T1 with DRS open. Combined with the natural slipstream tow, that's typically a 12-14 kph delta, enough to make any T1 overtake stick.
Elevation · 43 m
The track climbs 43 metres between Junção and the start line. That's why this race has historically rewarded the heaviest car / lowest fuel load combinations.
Anti-clockwise
Combined with Imola and Baku, anti-clockwise rounds account for less than 15% of the calendar, drivers report needing the first hour of FP1 to recalibrate.
Verstappen wins the 17th of 19, and Alonso steals the moment.
Verstappen / Norris / Alonso · 305.879 km · dry
Russell's first win, in the rain, and Mercedes' last 1-2 of the era.
Russell / Hamilton / Sainz · 305.879 km · damp
Gasly's improbable podium, on the last lap, on a circuit that breaks expectations.
Verstappen / Gasly / Sainz · 305.879 km · dry
Vettel from last to sixth, the championship spinning at T4 in the rain.
Button / Alonso / Massa · 305.909 km · wet
Hamilton P5 on the final lap. Glock cracks. A championship by the smallest margin.
Massa / Alonso / Räikkönen · 309.024 km · drying