The Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos has been the scene of plenty of title deciders in Formula 1’s more recent history. The 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix is set to take place on November 9.
1146th F1 GRAND PRIX | 5th SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX | 43rd GRAND PRIX AT INTERLAGOS
2024 POLESITTER: LANDO NORRIS | 2024 WINNER: MAX VERSTAPPEN
2025 SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday November 7
Free Practice 1 – 11:30am Local Time / 2:30pm UK Time
Sprint Qualifying – 3:30pm Local Time / 6:30pm UK Time
Saturday November 8
Sprint – 11:00am Local Time / 2:00pm UK Time
Qualifying – 3:00pm Local Time / 6:00pm UK Time
Sunday November 9
The 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix – 2:00pm Local Time / 5:00pm UK Time
2025 SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND MILESTONES
Victory for Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen at the 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix would see them equal Michael Schumacher as the driver with the most wins at Interlagos. Schumacher won at the track four times during his career.
Ferrari lead the way for most wins at Interlagos. They could become the first team to win here on ten occasions at the 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, while McLaren could equal Ferrari’s current record.
McLaren currently hold the record for most F1 wins overall in Brazil, with 12. Ferrari could equal the record at the 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
A top three finish for Fernando Alonso at the 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix would see him equal Michael Schumacher as the driver with the most top three finishes at Interlagos. Schumacher finished in the top three on ten occasions at the track during his career.
READ MORE IN MILESTONES AND RECORDS TO BREAK
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2025 SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX
WHAT HAS CHANGED AT THE CIRCUIT SINCE LAST YEAR?
Changes to the circuit since last year’s race will be posted here.
HOW MANY DRS ZONES WILL THERE BE AT THE 2025 SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX?
It’s yet to be announced how many DRS zones there will be at the 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. There are usually two DRS zones. The activation zones are located on the main straight and between Turns 3 & 4.
INTERLAGOS TRACK GUIDE
Since its arrival on the calendar in 1973, the Interlagos track in Sao Paulo, Brazil has hosted some dramatic races. The passionate fans together with the old school nature of the track layout always make the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend one to remember.
The Interlagos track is situated nine miles from the city centre of Sao Paulo. The neighbourhood had originally been plotting a racing circuit back in the 1920s, but this didn’t come to fruition for quite some time. Brazil’s history with motor racing began in 1934, with races on the Gavea circuit in Rio de Janeiro. Sao Paulo itself held a street race in 1936, but this was marred by a crash which resulted in the deaths of six spectators.
The plot of land which the Interlagos track is situated on – Interlagos meaning ‘between two lakes’ – had been set aside in 1926 for building houses on. However, such was the environment, the plot of land laid empty for years as it was unsuitable for the houses to be built. The financial situation due to the stock market crash in 1929 was also a factor in the area laying dormant. It instead became home to a demanding race track. The idea for a permanent circuit in the area was mooted in 1938, and was built by a construction company named Sanson over the next two years.
F1’s first venture into Brazil came in 1972 – the same year which the country had their first Brazilian F1 World Champion – and Carlos Reutemann won a non-championship round. The event proved Interlagos’ capability of holding a race, and in 1973 the circuit became home to the Brazilian Grand Prix.
READ MORE IN OUR ULTIMATE TRACK GUIDE
WHO WILL BE IN THE 2025 SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX PRESS CONFERENCES?
The world’s media will have the opportunity to talk to the drivers ahead of the on-track action. The drivers appearing in the press conference for this race are yet to be announced.
The media will also be talking to prominent members of Formula 1’s teams in a separate press conference over the race weekend. The team members appearing in the press conference are yet to be announced.
WHO WILL BE THE RACE DIRECTOR AT THE 2025 SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX?
Rui Marques will be the race director at the 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
WHO WILL BE THE DRIVER STEWARD AT THE 2025 SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX?
Each weekend a former Formula 1 driver, or a driver from another prominent series of motorsport, joins the stewards to help judge any incidents from a drivers’ perspective. The Driver Steward this weekend is yet to be announced.
WHICH TYRE COMPOUNDS WILL BE USED AT THE 2025 SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX?
Pirelli have not yet announced which tyre compounds will be used at the 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The C3, C4 and C5 compounds were used in 2024.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME AT THE SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX?
Verstappen won the wet 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix from 17th on the grid, while Alpine secured an unlikely double podium result.
For the fourth year in succession, Interlagos hosted Formula 1’s Sprint format at the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Due to illness, Kevin Magnussen was replaced by Ollie Bearman at Haas for the weekend.
Bearman impressed in Sprint Qualifying on Friday afternoon but a mistake in SQ3 saw him qualify no higher than tenth. Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez were both eliminated in SQ2 but it was McLaren who were on form. Oscar Piastri secured pole for the Saturday race, heading a papaya front row lock-out.
At the start of the Sprint on Saturday, Piastri maintained his lead ahead of Lando Norris, while Max Verstappen challenged Charles Leclerc behind. The top four remained close throughout the opening stages, with the gap diminishing further as the Sprint progressed. On Lap 18 of 24, Verstappen finally made his move on Leclerc. That prompted a switch of position for the McLaren drivers.
Just after Nico Hulkenberg came to a halt out on track, Piastri allowed team-mate Norris through into the lead to help his championship challenge on Lap 22 – as had been expected heading into the race. A VSC was then deployed to clear the stricken Haas. Racing resumed on the final lap but Verstappen was not close enough to mount a serious challenge on the McLaren drivers. Norris claimed his first-ever Sprint victory and though Verstappen finished third on the road he was later demoted to fourth in the result after picking up a five-second penalty for an infringement under VSC conditions.
After the Sprint, the weather conditions became too wet to drive in. It meant that qualifying was postponed to Sunday morning. Despite the delay, it was still raining when qualifying took place at 7:30am – but the conditions were at least drivable.
The qualifying session saw no fewer than five red flag periods. Franco Colapinto – who had big support from Argentine fans in the grandstands – was first to crash out in Q1. Carlos Sainz crashed in Q2, necessitating a pit lane start, while Lance Stroll found himself in the barriers in the closing stages of the session. A red flag brought a slightly early end to Q2, with both Red Bulls exiting as a result.
There were further red flags in Q3, as Fernando Alonso crashed out and Alex Albon – who had set the early pace – crashed heavily at the end of the main straight. The damage to Albon’s car meant that he was unable to take part in the race. Lando Norris secured pole position in the unpredictable session, ahead of George Russell. Both RB drivers lined up in the top five, with Esteban Ocon on the second row with Alpine.
Verstappen headed into the weekend with a five-place grid penalty due to changes to his power unit, which dropped him to 17th on the grid following his Q2 exit. There was an aborted start to the race after Lance Stroll got himself beached in the gravel on the formation lap.
Russell took the lead when the race eventually began, with plenty of midfield passes in the tricky damp conditions. Sergio Perez spun his Red Bull on the opening lap, dropping near the back of the field. Verstappen scythed his way into the top ten at the end of the main straight on Lap 2, while Bearman picked up a ten-second penalty following a collision with Colapinto.
Verstappen ran in the top seven by Lap 10 and continued his run through the field. Piastri and Liam Lawson made contact, with the McLaren driver receiving a ten-second penalty for the incident. Hulkenberg spun on Lap 27 leading to a Virtual Safety Car period. As the rain intensified, drivers began to pit for wet tyres, having started on intermediates. Norris passed Russell for what would have been the net lead, before the Safety Car was called out on Lap 31. One lap later, Colapinto crashed into the wall leading to a red flag period.
The red flag benefited those drivers – namely Ocon, Verstappen and Pierre Gasly – who had not yet pitted. During the red flag period, Hulkenberg was black-flagged as a result of receiving assistance from marshals when re-joining the track.
When racing resumed, it did so with Ocon as the race leader. Bearman nudged the barriers with a spin off track before Sainz’s race came to an end with a heavier hit into the barriers on Lap 39. It resulted in a Safety Car period, after which Ocon came under pressure from Verstappen. The Red Bull driver took the lead at Turn 1, while title rival Lando Norris slid off track and down to seventh place.
The order at the front would remain the same through to the chequered flag. Verstappen won from 17th on the grid – the furthest back win in Formula 1 in almost 20 years. Alpine, who had not had a top eight finish in the previous 20 races, saw both cars finish in the top three. Leclerc and Russell followed them over the line, while polesitter Norris could finish no higher than sixth.
WHAT’S THE FASTEST EVER LAP AT THE SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX?
Attending the 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix? Learn more about visiting Interlagos in the F1Destinations Travel Guide.