The Autódromo José Carlos Pace, formerly known as Autódromo de Interlagos, is usually the scene of an unpredictable Formula 1 weekend. The changeable weather conditions have helped to shape the history of this event, along with the local enthusiasm for the sport. The South American passion and character only add up to the flavour of this F1 round.
Of all the circuits visited during the year, this is the venue where spectators get to see the cars most often as the race is a massive 71 laps long. Its layout and elevation changes also mean that it is possible to see a significant part, if not most, of the circuit from the various vantage points.
Pit exit and Grandstand D - Image: Ferrari S.p.A
São Paulo, is Brazil's largest city and business centre. It might not be as pretty or charming as Rio de Janeiro but it is rather unashamedly cosmopolitan, partly thanks to its culture scene, excellent restaurants, hip cafes, vibrant nightlife and shopping experiences. It is also the perfect getaway for an extended holiday in this amazing country.
This year's edition of the Brazilian Grand Prix takes place on the 7-8-9 November. If you're planning to stay around, the FIA WEC finale will run from the 28th to the 30th November at this very same racetrack.
CONTENTS
1 // Location and accommodation
2 // Money matters
3 // Ticket prices
4 // Which grandstand or hospitality
5 // Tips and recommendations
6 // Useful links to prepare your São Paulo trip
The circuit is located in Interlagos, some 16 km South of São Paulo city centre. The fastest and safest way to reach the track is via public transport.
The neighbourhood of Interlagos doesn't offer much to visitors and is probably best avoided anyway. There is a lot of activity on Avenida Paulista during the weekend. Booking accommodation nearby will give you a sense of the crazy vibe. The journey by train to the circuit takes about 40 minutes from there.
Directions:
Take the Metrô at Paulista Station on the Line 4-Yellow (Linha 4-Amarela) and change at Pinheiros Station for the overground CPTM train services. The track is a 600 metre walk from Autódromo Station on Line 9-Emerald (Linha 9-Esmeralda).
If your accommodation is too far away from Paulista Station, use Line 2-Green (Linha 2-Verde) which goes along Avenida Paulista and stop at Consolação. The station is integrated with Paulista through an underground interconnection.
Luxury hotels are ideally located on Line 9-Emerald (Linha 9-Esmeralda) between Berrini and Morumbi stations, which are 4-5 stops away (13 km) from Autódromo Station. Morumbi is the home of the gigantic MorumbiShopping mall and Berrini is a convenient location for anyone flying into town as the airport shuttle stops at the Brooklin World Trade Center. Access to a more upmarket nightlife in the adjacent district of Moema, is via bus 5154. Plenty of bars and restaurants can also be found in the neighbouring Brooklin and Ibirapuera districts, which are known to be very safe.
Another safe way to the circuit is by taxi (booking though your hotel is recommended). The traffic in São Paulo can be horrendous so expect to be in the car for a couple of hours as well as a hefty fare. The address is Avenida Senador Teotônio Vilela, 261, Interlagos – São Paulo – SP, CEP 04801-010. Be aware that motorists can be a bit aggressive and it is probably best not to hire a car unless you are familiar with the city or country.
View from Grandstand D - Image: MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team
Living costs in São Paulo are similar to most European or North American countries. As one of the fly-away grands prix, booking flights as soon as the World Motor Sport Council ratifies the F1 calendar in December is recommended to reduce the overall costs of the trip.
Return airfares to São Paulo start from:
• $1,600 from Austin
• $2,000 (direct) or $1,800 (1 stop) from Abu Dhabi
• £900 (direct) or £600 (1 stop) from London
• €1,200 (direct) or €900 (1 stop) from Frankfurt
• S$2,300 from Singapore
• A$2,200 from Sydney
Four night accommodation from:
R$1,400 / $600 / £400 / €500 for a double/twin room in a four star hotel with an outdoor swimming pool on Avenida Paulista and a review score of 7/10 or more on Booking.com.
Visa:
There are 77 countries, inclusive of the UK, NZ and Germany, for which their nationals do not require a tourist visa for stays of up to 90 days (up to 30 days for Singaporeans). US, Canadian and Australian citizens need a visa to enter the country for tourism purposes. It costs $160, C$81.25 and A$42 respectively.
Food and drinks:
R$420 / $200 / £120 / €150 per person for four days. although local meals such as prato feito, prato comercial or refeição completa start from $5 / £3 / €4.
Single Metrô and/or train ticket (e.g. to/from the track from Paulista Station): R$3.00 / $1.40 / £0.90 / €1.10
Airport transfer from Guarulhos Airport to Avenida Paulista, Jardins or Brooklin World Trade Center:
• R$85 / $40 / £25 / €30 for a prepaid taxi
• R$30 / $14 / £9 / €11 for the airport bus shuttle.
Internet access:
R$45 / $21 / £13 / €16 for a SIM card and 400MB to 1GB worth of data on either Vivo or TIM.
TOTAL BUDGET (excluding flights and tickets):
R$2,000 / $900 / £600 / €700 for a solo traveller or R$2,500 / $1,200 / £700 / €900 for a couple.
The Brazilian Grand Prix is one of the most expensive F1 rounds on the season. The official price list is straight forward as the organisers only sell three day tickets. Those on a budget will regret the lack of general admission, however, as some resellers split packages, it possible to attend the Friday practice sessions for a fraction of the weekend cost.
Prices from the organisers are in bold. Exchange rates are sourced from xe.com and based on the highest rate since the last Brazilian Grand Prix. Grandstand prices have been rounded up to the nearest $10 / £10 / €10 and hospitality packages rounded up to the nearest $100 / £100 / €100.
Image: GP PETROBRAS BRASIL F1 - OFFICIAL WEBSITE - ©Interpub
Unlike most circuits, it is not possible to walk around the track as there is no common area for spectators to gather. Ticket holders are limited to the sector of their grandstand or hospitality suite, so choose your ticket wisely. The weather in São Paulo is always a bit of an unknown at that time of the year and almost all grandstands are covered, except for the cheaper grandstands A and G. Other criteria will include best overtaking spots, view above the catch fence, TV screens, grid preparations, start/finish, podium celebrations, merchandise areas, etc. It is also worth noting that despite tickets for all grandstands being numbered, very few spectators sit in their allocated seat. Arriving early is recommended to secure a good spot. It might be preferable to purchase a hospitality ticket if this is likely to spoil your experience. We detail all grandstands below in order of price, from the cheapest to the most expensive.
Grandstand G is not covered and therefore open to the elements. The view is very good and spectators can see pretty much all the action from Turn 1 to Turn 14, situated at the start of Grandstand A. In 2012, there was a videowall opposite the grandstand, allowing spectators to follow the race developments. The best photo opportunities are from the popular top rows at end of the back straight, from where you can see the cars unobstructed by the safety fence between Turn 4 and Turn14. Being the less pricey of all grandstands, expect to see the youngest and noisiest crowd there. Be aware that facilities are quite old in this part of the track due for refurbishment in 2015.
View from Grandstand A - Image: MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team
Grandstand A is the only other grandstand that is not covered. Cars can practically be followed for most of the circuit except for the Senna S (Turn1 and Turn 2) which is hidden by the pit and hospitality buildings. This is by far the longest grandstand and it features the biggest merchandise area. In 2012, there were only two TV superscreens which could only be seen by about half of the attendance of the grandstand. Spectators nearest to the pit building and Grandstand B will be right by the back of the grid preparations and pit lane entry, whereas those closer to Turn 14 will have a better view of the drivers going through the twisty section of the track between Turn 4 and Turn 14. Whilst unbelievably close to the cars, bear in mind that the nearer you are to the pit building, the faster the cars travel and the more difficult it is to watch them. This is more of a supporters grandstand, which is made of concrete steps, so don't expect to be seated but rather jumping up and down with the rest of the crowd.
Grandstand F is the least expensive of the covered grandstands. It offers fantastic views of the Senna S, unobstructed by the catch fence but unfortunately there are no TV screens and commentary is in Portuguese only. It is located at the end of the pit lane exit so it is possible to keep up with the order of the race by counting the pit stops of each driver if this is your thing. Otherwise, you'll have to rely on mobile internet to keep up to date. It is also a good spot for adrenalin seekers when drivers fight for position when rejoining the track from the pits.
Grandstand M is facing the team garages for pit lane action during the weekend. For a main straight grandstand, it is unconventionally placed between the starting grid and first turn and has limited views of the track due to the pit building opposite. Nonetheless, It features a double videowall and spectators in the top rows will be able to see the cars going through Turn 1 above the safety fence when they've passed the grandstand.
Grandstand M in the background - Image: Ferrari S.p.A
Grandstand V is located at the end of the back straight, past Turn 4. It is a slightly more comfortable grandstand as the ticket price is inclusive of food and drinks and there are multiple TV monitors in the grandstand showing on track action and live timings. Being at the lowest point of the circuit and and a bit further away from the track, this grandstand allows most spectators to view the action above the fence.
Grandstand D is the prime location to watch overtaking moves as most of them tend to happen at Turn 1. This grandstand is quite large and what you see will vary depending on where you are sitting. Views on offer include the start/finish line, pit lane, pit exit, Senna S and Curva do Sol (Turn 3). There are some TV monitors in the grandstand showing on track action and live timings. Spectators in the top rows will able to watch the cars from above the catch fence.
Grandstand B boasts similar views to Grandstand A except it is:covered, equipped with TV monitors in the grandstand and located opposite a TV superscreen. It is also closer to the pit lane entry, pit lane and the front of the grid. This is probably the best grandstand to pick for the podium celebrations. As per Grandstand V, cold food and drinks are inclusive of the ticket price. Views above the safety fence are very limited, even from the top rows.
Grandstand E is situated between Turn 2 and Turn 3. From there, spectators can follow the cars from Turn 1 to nearly the end of the back straight and It has a videowall located opposite. Here as well, it is possible to see the action mostly above the fence when watching from the top rows. Cold food and drinks are also included in the ticket price.
View from Orange Tree Club - PHOTO: FREDERIC LE FLOCH / DPPI for Renault Sport F1
The Orange Tree Club is the entry level hospitality. Located at Turn 7, the guests can follow the cars between Turn 4 and Turn 14. There are TV monitors showing live feed and timings as well as a sandwich bar. The package includes a pit lane visit on Friday and Saturday.
The Speed Lounge combines the hospitality formerly known as Interlagos Club and Terrace Club. It is the next step up and features a buffet service, bar and lounge. Situated just after Turn 5, it boasts views of the cars between Turn 5 and Turn 14. The ticket includes a daily pit lane tour on all three days.
The Premium Paddock Club is located on top of the pit garages and offers panoramic views of nearly the full track. Service features are similar to that of the Speed Lounge and include a Champagne bar.
Hospitality stands and buildings - Image: Ferrari S.p.A
The vast majority of people in Brazil are happy and friendly but do speak a great deal of English, so it is a good idea learn some basic Portuguese before going as well as keeping a phrasebook handy.
Circuit gates open to the public at 7 am and close at 2 pm. Once you enter your grandstand, you cannot leave and re-enter, so make sure you have everything you need before going in.
All grandstands and hospitality suites are wheelchair accessible. Accompanying spectators need to purchase their ticket in the same transaction as their reduced mobility friends.
Umbrellas, along with flagpoles, cans, glass, plastic bottles and walking sticks are prohibited. Bearing in mind the changeable weather conditions, we'd recommend packing a poncho as well as sunscreen. Food and drink stalls are available for all grandstands.
São Paulo has a bit of a reputation as far as crime is concerned, however, this should not deter you from going there. With a bit of common sense and street smarts, you'll be just fine. Avoid the obvious tip-off such as wearing expensive jewellery or watches, don't pull out your phone or camera in crowded areas, no wandering the streets after dark or on your own. Keep your bag closed, and close to you. Robberies at traffic lights are not unheard of either, so keep your windows up and doors locked. If unsure or concerned then stay around the Morumbi, Berrini, Moema, Brooklin and Ibirapuera areas.
There's a bit of confusion as to the official website. It is gpbrasil.com.br and not gpbrasil.com as wrongly reported in Wikipedia or various travel and F1 forums.
F1 Village behind Grandstand A - Image: Ferrari S.p.A
gpbrasil.com.br - ticket sales and event information
gpticketshop.com - ticket sales from the Exclusive European Ticket Agent for the Brazilian Grand Prix
metro.sp.gov.br - São Paulo Metrô
cptm.sp.gov.br - train information (in Portuguese only)
cptm.sp.gov.br/E_IMAGES/geral/Mapa_popup.asp - Metropolitan Transport Network map
Booking.com - our trustworthy hotel reservation partner
formula1.com - general information and schedule
Finally, we would like to acknowledge the contribution of Chelsea Beckman (follow @chelseabeckman on Twitter - Grandstand B) who was a corporate guest of AkzoNobel, sponsor of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes in 2011.
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