First lap crashes, wet weather and aquaplaning. There have been plenty of caution periods in Interlagos’ long Formula 1 history. Here’s a list of every time the Safety Car has made an appearance at the Brazilian Grand Prix!
1993 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 28
The first Safety Car deployment at Interlagos came in the 1993 Brazilian Grand Prix. This was the first appearance for the Safety Car in Formula 1 in 20 years. Amid a heavy rain shower, Ukyo Katayama and Aguri Suzuki both crashed out on the main straight. With weather conditions worsening, the decision was made to run laps behind the Safety Car.
2001 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 1
Mika Hakkinen stalled from third on the grid at the start of the 2001 Brazilian Grand Prix. With a lap of Interlagos being relatively short, there was not sufficient time to safely clear the McLaren car from the grid. The Safety Car was called out while Hakkinen’s car was rolled into the pit lane.
2003 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 1
Following a delayed start due to wet weather conditions, the 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix began under Safety Car conditions. The Safety Car eventually came in at the end of Lap 8.
2003 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 19
Ralph Firman’s Jordan suffered a front suspension failure and careered into Olivier Panis’ Toyota on Lap 19 of the 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix. The Safety Car was deployed due to the debris deposited at the end of the main straight.
2003 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 27
Michael Schumacher aquaplaned off the circuit. He narrowly avoided a recovery truck which had been deployed to recover Antonio Pizzonia’s Jaguar, which had already aquaplaned off the track. This incident ended the longest points-scoring streak of Schumacher’s career.
2003 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 33
Jenson Button aquaplaned off the circuit in the same area that had caught out many other drivers during the race. The Safety Car was subsequently deployed for a fourth time in the race.
2003 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 54
Mark Webber crashed on the main straight, ripping three wheels from his car and leading to the Safety Car being deployed for the fourth time. Not seeing the yellow flags, Fernando Alonso crashed at the same point causing further debris. The race was red flagged as a result of Alonso’s collision and was not restarted.
2005 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 1
Antonio Pizzonia and David Coulthard collided at the opening corner, bringing out the Safety Car.
2006 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 2
The two Williams cars collided on Lap 1. Nico Rosberg crashed out on the opening lap of the race at the final corner as a result of his earlier contact leading to the Safety Car being deployed. It was a bad first lap for the team – Mark Webber lost his rear wing and retired.
2008 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 1
Following a delayed start due to a pre-race downpour, the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix began in damp conditions. On his final appearance, David Coulthard was out in the opening corners after contact with Kazuki Nakajima. Nelson Piquet also crashed out. The incidents caused the only Safety Car period in a memorable Grand Prix.
2009 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 1
Jarno Trulli and Adrian Sutil crashed on the opening lap. Sutil’s car rebounded into Fernando Alonso’s Renault, also taking the Spaniard out of the race. Memorably, Trulli and Sutil had a disagreement trackside over who was to blame for the incident.
2010 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 51
Vitantonio Liuzzi crashed out through the Senna S on the 51st lap of the 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix.
2012 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 23
Debris on the track saw the Safety Car called out on Lap 23 of the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix.
2012 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 70
Paul di Resta crashed out opposite the pit entry towards the end of the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix. The title-deciding race of the 2012 Formula 1 season ended under Safety Car conditions as a result
2016 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 1
After a delayed start, wet weather conditions saw the 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix begin under Safety Car conditions.
2016 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 14
Marcus Ericsson aquaplaned at the pit entry on Lap 14 of the 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix, crashing into the barriers. The pit lane was subsequently closed as a result. Daniel Ricciardo picked up a 5-second penalty as a result of coming in to make a pit stop after the pit lane had been closed.
2016 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 20
As the Safety Car pulled into the pits at the end of Lap 19, Kimi Raikkonen crashed out due to aquaplaning on the main straight. The race was red flagged just 45 seconds after the Safety Car was called.
2016 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 22
The 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix resumed behind the Safety Car with all cars required to restart on extreme wet tyres due to the track conditions. The race did not actually restart, with the red flag shown on Lap 28. It was a controversial decision – the crowd booed as the red flag was shown.
2016 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 29
The race resumed once more behind the Safety Car, this time more successfully.
2016 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 49
On what was due to be his final home race appearance, Felipe Massa crashed out on the main straight. The pit entry was closed as a result of his crash. There were memorable scenes when Massa walked down the pit lane after his crash, being applauded by members of other teams.
2017 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 1
Daniel Ricciardo and Stoffel Vandoorne collided through the Senna S. Vandoorne stopped on track while Ricciardo was able to continue. The moment that the Safety Car was called, Romain Grosjean and Esteban Ocon also collided. The Safety Car led the field through the pit lane.
2019 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 54
Valtteri Bottas retired with engine woes leading to the first of two Safety Car call outs in the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix.
2019 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lap 66
Charles Leclerc retired following contact between the two Ferrari drivers. Sebastian Vettel also picked up a puncture in the incident and retired later around the lap.
2021 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Lap 6
The Safety Car was called due to debris at the exit of Turn 1 from Yuki Tsunoda’s earlier collision with Sebastian Vettel. The Safety Car led the drivers through the pit lane.
2021 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Lap 12
Further debris at Turn 1, this time due to contact between Mick Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen, saw the Virtual Safety Car deployed for the first time at Interlagos in the 2021 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The VSC period lasted three and a half minutes.
2021 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Lap 30
More debris on the main straight from Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin saw the VSC called out for a further minute.
2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Lap 1
Friday polesitter Kevin Magnussen was taken out on Lap 1 of the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix by Daniel Ricciardo, the McLaren driver then hitting Magnussen as he spun across the track.
2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Lap 53
Lando Norris stopped following a loss of power at Turn 10. The VSC was deployed at first, before the full Safety Car was called after two and a half minutes.
2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Lap 1
On the run to the first corner at the 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, there was a collision between Kevin Magnussen and Alex Albon which eliminated both drivers from the race. The Safety Car was called out immediately and led the field for two laps before the red flag was shown.
2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Lap 3
Ahead of a standing restart, the drivers emerged from the pit lane for a formation lap on the third lap of the race, which took place under Safety Car conditions.
2024 Sao Paulo Sprint, Lap 22, VSC
Nico Hulkenberg was the only retiree from the Sprint race at the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. He stopped on track with a smoking car due to a mechanical failure. His stoppage led to the VSC being utilised for the final three laps of the race – with green flag conditions resuming on the final lap.
2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Lap 28, VSC
The Virtual Safety Car was deployed on Lap 28 of the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix when Nico Hulkenberg ran off track, spinning in the rain and getting stuck in the run off area. The Haas driver would later be disqualified from the race for receiving assistance from the marshals in getting his car back on track.
2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Lap 31, Safety Car
With the weather conditions deteriorating, the Safety Car was called out on Lap 31 of the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The Safety Car remained out until Lap 32, when the red flag was shown as the result of a crash for Williams’ Franco Colapinto
2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Lap 33, Safety Car
Franco Colapinto’s crash in the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix led to an immediate red flag. At the end of the red flag period, the Safety Car led the drivers around to complete a single lap under Safety Car conditions before the race resumed with a rolling start.
2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Lap 39, Safety Car
Carlos Sainz crashed out on Lap 39 of the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The Safety Car was called out as a result of the Ferrari driver’s crash, with racing action resuming on Lap 43.