Hotels for F1 São Paulo Grand Prix 2026

Interlagos brings South America's only grand prix of the season, run anticlockwise over a compact, undulating lap that punishes drivers with constant elevation change and a bumpy surface unlike anywhere else on the calendar. Local crowds are famously loud and partisan, and the atmosphere builds through the weekend into a raucous finale. Expect unpredictable weather too — rain has decided this race more than once.

The Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, universally known as Interlagos, has been Brazilian motor racing's beating heart since it opened in 1940 in the hills of southern Sao Paulo. Its name honours Jose Carlos Pace, the local driver who won his home Grand Prix here in 1975, and the circuit remains one of only a handful on the calendar to run anti-clockwise.

Compact, undulating and hemmed in by the city, it packs drama into a short lap, and its unpredictable microclimate has produced some of Formula 1's most storied afternoons. Ayrton Senna took a famously emotional first home victory here in 1991, nursing a car stuck in sixth gear across the line; Lewis Hamilton snatched his maiden world title at the final corner of the 2008 race; and the sprint-format weekends of recent years have only added to the theatre. The passionate Brazilian crowd, the steep grandstands and the sense of history make Interlagos a favourite among drivers and fans alike.

Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, known as Interlagos, is one of motorsport's most emotional venues, a circuit of rapid level changes that has witnessed Brazil's greatest racing moments from Senna's home victories to last-corner title deciders. It sits in the Interlagos district of southern São Paulo. Stay in Pinheiros, Jardins or Vila Madalena, the cosmopolitan neighbourhoods within 30 minutes offering superb food and nightlife, and take a shuttle or taxi to the circuit. Book early and expect São Paulo's hotel prices to rise sharply for the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend.