Five more years of Interlagos!

As per Autosport, Interlagos has signed a new five year deal. This is great news.

https://www.autospor...with-interlagos

Nice!

Good news.

Is there anyone who doesn't like this piece of news?

Is there anyone who doesn't like this piece of news?

just wait until you read who is backing this race 

just wait until you read who is backing this race 

Is it MechaHitler, coming out of hiding in Brazil for the first time since 1945?

Has Yabbi Dabbi money backing it, that can't be good. 

"Sao Paolo GP"

So are they planning another gp to Brazil? Really making the calendar too big huh? 

"Sao Paolo GP"

 

So are they planning another gp to Brazil? Really making the calendar too big huh? 

This seems to be a Liberty thing. They also canned the Mexican Grand Prix in favour of the Mexico City Grand Prix (which hasn't been held because COVID).

Apparently the renaming is due to the Sao Paolo local government having greater involvement....same with Mexico City. I don't think the new names have much of a ring to them but I would far rather have a race at Interlagos than not. It's a break in tradition but one we ought to be able to live quite easily with. 

The new promoters are presumably not related to the mates of Bernie who previously ran the show and got a free race out of him, and Liberty apparently refused to deal with.

Maybe Silverstone could be renamed the Towcester Grand Prix just to see what mangled attempts at pronouncing it we get.

Apparently the renaming is due to the Sao Paolo local government having greater involvement....same with Mexico City. I don't think the new names have much of a ring to them but I would far rather have a race at Interlagos than not. It's a break in tradition but one we ought to be able to live quite easily with. 

It's a shame that it robs the race of the national status that a Grand Prix is supposed to have.

It's a shame that it robs the race of the national status that a Grand Prix is supposed to have.

I think that is a fair point.  I'm not going to complain though, because losing national gov't funding could have been the death knell for both of these races.  Instead the local gov'ts have seen enough benefit to increase their funding to make sure it continues

It's a shame that it robs the race of the national status that a Grand Prix is supposed to have.

As per Autosport, Interlagos has signed a new five year deal. This is great news.

 

https://www.autospor...with-interlagos

Absolutely.

Lovely!

Thank god.

Great that Interlagos is back.  ​ 

It's a shame that it robs the race of the national status that a Grand Prix is supposed to have.

I don't think it matters. Example: Sergio Perez isn't sad he won the Sakhir Grand Prix instead of Bahrain Grand Prix. 

There were lots of references to "Bahrain 2" anyway so I guess Brazilian Grand Prix will be heard/typed a lot in the coming 5 years.

One of my favourite tracks

This news makes me happy

Is there anyone who doesn't like this piece of news?

Great that Interlagos is back. ​


I don't think it matters. Example: Sergio Perez isn't sad he won the Sakhir Grand Prix instead of Bahrain Grand Prix.

There were lots of references to "Bahrain 2" anyway so I guess Brazilian Grand Prix will be heard/typed a lot in the coming 5 years.

Edited by RA2, 17 December 2020 - 09:20.

Interlagos is ok, but it would have been better if the race returned to Jacarepaguá Olympic park.

How would that have been better? It would have been a soulless Sochi clone.

Maybe, but atleast it would have brought some attention to that Olympic park which is quiet disused.

Thankfully they’re using the excellent circuit that is well loved and already exists.

I love Interlagos.  Great track and even from a distance a unique atmosphere and I hope to attend one day.

One caveat though to my enthusiasm is the barrier that separates the track from pit lane and sits at nearly a 90 degree angle to a very high speed section of the track (TechPro now I think). 

Especially in light of the Grosjean crash that barrier looks very risky to me.

Regards Mike

Is every single barrier now going to be a source of worry for some of you?

It's a rounded concrete barrier with layers of belted tyres. No Grosjean-type accidents here.

Is every single barrier now going to be a source of worry for some of you?

 

It's a rounded concrete barrier with layers of belted tyres. No Grosjean-type accidents here.

 

 

Cheers PayasYouRace, no every barrier doesn't worry me but actually that one still does.

Regards Mike

I mean, I wouldn't particularly want to hit that wall, or any wall for that matter, but you have to have a gap in the barrier to enter the pits.

I mean, I wouldn't particularly want to hit that wall, or any wall for that matter, but you have to have a gap in the barrier to enter the pits.

Agreed it's a really tricky one and thankfully given that the worst case scenario has been avoided it does seem to be a low one.  

Regards Mike

The racing line through that bend brings drivers very close to the barrier in normal conditions, I think that's why it looks so scary in onboards. I dunno, is it more dangerous than the "attenuator" at Indy?

While searching for photos I actually came across this old thread: https://forums.autos...-changes-split/

The 1996-1998 pit entrance still seems like the safest, and looks like what was being proposed back in 2011 too.

While searching for photos I actually came across this old thread: https://forums.autos...-changes-split/

 

The 1996-1998 pit entrance still seems like the safest, and looks like what was being proposed back in 2011 too.

That does look better but it's quite a steep drop behind the pits. I'm guessing it didn't happen for reasons of cost, a lot of earth would need moving.

Regards Mike

While searching for photos I actually came across this old thread: https://forums.autos...-changes-split/

The 1996-1998 pit entrance still seems like the safest, and looks like what was being proposed back in 2011 too.

We also never got the new pits on the back straight which we were supposed to get in 2013 or so.

I mean, I wouldn't particularly want to hit that wall, or any wall for that matter, but you have to have a gap in the barrier to enter the pits.

Great news, excellent track that produces excellent racing more often than not.

Wondering if Rio was only used as a bargaining chip. 

I remember playing Geoff Crammond's first "grand prix" game based on the 1991 season and feeling that was not without risk....my fear is what if a car on the inside line tangles with a car to it's right and heads into the barrier. Probably less serious than Grosjean but still one hell of a crash. But it's difficult to see how it could be safer unless they have a pit entry two corners earlier?

What's the most specific area* that a GP has been defined by? E.g. we've had the Caesars Palace GP.

*Whatever that means - smallest maybe.

Monaco I presume is the dull answer

Interlagos is ok, but it would have been better if the race returned to Jacarepaguá Olympic park (too bad they were not trying that rather throwing money at another circuit).

Jacarepagua was never an interesting circuit although the location was great with it's superb backdrop but for sure Interlagos is a far more exciting track.
 

This is what it looks right now (every sign of the circuit is gone)

They can use it for rallying.

Apparently the renaming is due to the Sao Paolo local government having greater involvement....same with Mexico City. I don't think the new names have much of a ring to them but I would far rather have a race at Interlagos than not. It's a break in tradition but one we ought to be able to live quite easily with.

There is a bit of political quarrel aswell. Bolsonaro publicly tried to lure the GP to his political base, in Rio, and Sao Paulo's governor, who is one of his main opositors, fought back to keep the race in SP. So the governor, by changing the name of the race, is claiming this as his personal victory, unrelated to the president.

It remains to be seen who has the last laugh. It seems like Sao Paolo governor sold out to Abu Dhabi in some way. 

Edited by ARTGP, 18 December 2020 - 02:20.

Perhaps Abu Dhabi have finally heard all the criticism of their home circuit so now they have 'acquired' one of the best tracks instead.

Maybe they will move it to the Gulf....