Home to the Brazil Grand Prix, Interlagos has been a part of the Sao Paulo landscape since the 1920s, and continues to host the greatest names in Formula One. When Brazilians think of the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, the official name of Interlagos, they remember Ayrton Senna earning the first of his 41 career F1 victories there in 1991, propelling him to national sporting fame normally reserved for football greats.
In recent years, Interlagos has held several dramatic races, including the 2008 season-ending Brazil Grand Prix, which saw the Brazilian Felipe Massa win the race in front of his countrymen. Lewis Hamilton, however, won the championship by one point by finishing fifth. Other top drivers to win at Interlagos include Alain Prost (who won a record six Brazil GPs), Michael Schumacher, Juan Pablo Montoya and Fernando Alonso.
The track is considered one of the better runs in the current F1 circuit, but there have been complaints about poor amenities. In 2008, however, a deal was struck with the F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone which will keep Interlagos on the F1 schedule until 2015. With the deal, improvements are slated for the pit and paddock.
