Editing Interlagos Circuit (section)

==Characteristics==
[[File:Autódromo José Carlos Pace, July 3, 2018 SkySat (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Satellite view of the circuit in 2018]]
One of the main characteristics of Interlagos is that it was not built on flat terrain, but follows the ups and downs of hilly ground, which makes it harder to drive and demands more power from the cars' engines. The races therefore can be tough on the car and physically demanding on the drivers, especially since the circuit runs counterclockwise, where the centrifugal forces in the many hard left turns push the drivers' necks to the right, instead of left as in most of the circuits on the F1 calendar. The hilly course is also a good feature for [[road bicycle racing|road cycling]] races, which are usually held at the circuit.

Additionally to the physical aspects there is also a climate component to the venue, the region where the track is located is known for having rapid changes in weather with outbursts of rain being common, which can vary from a short lived drizzle to a torrential storm. This can add a degree of unpredictability to the races and it's classically associated with the circuit. The city of [[São Paulo]] itself where the circuit is located is known by the nickname "Land of the Drizzle".

===First reform===

In 1979 upgrading work was done and the pit lane was extended past the first left-hand turn (1), making the corner more narrow, and the pit lane ended right in the middle of turn 1 and 2. The present design of the track dates back to 1990, when the original circuit was shortened from {{cvt|7.87385|km|mi|abbr=on}} to {{cvt|4.325|km|mi|abbr=on}}. As a consequence of the reduction, the track lost three long straight sections and nine fast curves (5 were lost forever, 4 were made slower and are still present). The original track was full of fast corners and it allowed cars to keep maximum speed for up for many seconds, it was considered dangerous, and in 1990 the old layout was mostly revised. The new track still had a very long top-speed section that contained bumps, high-speed turns and little run-off area though the track was very wide at this point.

===Improvement in 2007===
For the [[2007 Brazilian Grand Prix]], the largest-scale repairs in the last 35 years were carried out at the circuit, to fundamentally solve problems with the track surface.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.folhadaregiao.com.br/link.php?codigo=70051 |title=Interlagos será fechado para reforma |publisher=folhadaregiao.com.br|date=14 June 2007 |access-date=5 August 2007 |language=pt}} {{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.autodromointerlagos.com/fotoobras.htm |title=As obras em Interlagos |publisher=autodromointerlagos.com|date=4 September 2007 |access-date=8 September 2007 |language=pt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013060659/http://www.autodromointerlagos.com/fotoobras.htm |archive-date=13 October 2007}}</ref> The existing asphalt was entirely replaced,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.gpbrasil.com.br/site2007/coluna.asp?id=23# |title=FIA tem uma justificada preocupação com o GP Brasil de Fórmula 1 |publisher=gpbrasil.com.br|access-date=5 August 2007 |language=pt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807164948/http://www.gpbrasil.com.br/site2007/coluna.asp?id=23%23 |archive-date=7 August 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> resulting in a much smoother track surface. At the same time, the pit lane entrance was enhanced to improve safety and to add a new fixed grand stand.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.autodromointerlagos.com/IMG_2705.jpg |title=Alargamento da entrada dos boxes, para maior segurança dos pilotos |publisher=autodromointerlagos.com|access-date=5 August 2007 |language=pt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807235849/http://www.autodromointerlagos.com/IMG_2705.jpg |archive-date=7 August 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> To facilitate the work, the circuit was closed and no events were held in the five months immediately preceding the race.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.clicabrasilia.com.br/torcida/materia.php?IdNoticia=34304 |title=Reforma deve acabar com problemas no asfalto de Interlagos |publisher=clicabrasilia.com.br|date=13 June 2007 |access-date=5 August 2007 |language=pt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927213007/http://www.clicabrasilia.com.br/torcida/materia.php?IdNoticia=34304 |archive-date=27 September 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

On 17 October 2007, [[Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos]] (CPTM) began to operate the new station of the Line C (currently called [[Line 9 (CPTM)|Line 9]]), ''Autódromo'', near the circuit.<ref>{{cite news |title=Estação Autódromo é inaugurada nesta quarta-feira |trans-title=Autodromo station opens this Wednesday |url=http://www.cptm.sp.gov.br/e_noticias/webnoticias/one_news.asp?IDNews=3669 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706160843/http://www.cptm.sp.gov.br/e_noticias/webnoticias/one_news.asp?IDNews=3669 |publisher=CET – Companhia de Engenharia de Tráfego |date=16 October 2007 |archive-date=6 July 2011 |access-date=23 October 2007 |language=pt |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Inauguração da estação Autódromo dá largada para o metrô de superfície em SP |trans-title=Autódromo station inauguration signals beginning of light rail in SP |url=http://www.cptm.sp.gov.br/e_noticias/webnoticias/one_news.asp?IDNews=3675 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706160857/http://www.cptm.sp.gov.br/e_noticias/webnoticias/one_news.asp?IDNews=3675 |publisher=CET – Companhia de Engenharia de Tráfego |date=18 October 2007 |archive-date=6 July 2011 |access-date=23 October 2007 |language=pt |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>
{{cite news |title=Circulação de trens ganha esquema especial para GP Brasil de F1 |trans-title=Train circulation to follow special scheme for Brazilian F1 GP |url=http://www.cptm.sp.gov.br/e_noticias/webnoticias/one_news.asp?IDNews=3683 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023172703/http://cptm.sp.gov.br/e_noticias/webnoticias/one_news.asp?IDNews=3683 |publisher=CET – Companhia de Engenharia de Tráfego |date=18 October 2007 |archive-date=23 October 2007 |access-date=23 October 2007 |language=pt |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Inauguração da estação Autódromo marca início do metrô de superfície, na capital |trans-title=Autódromo station inauguration marks beginning of light rail in the capital |url=http://www.cptm.sp.gov.br/e_noticias/webnoticias/one_news.asp?IDNews=3717 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706160919/http://www.cptm.sp.gov.br/e_noticias/webnoticias/one_news.asp?IDNews=3717 |publisher=CET – Companhia de Engenharia de Tráfego |date=22 October 2007 |archive-date=6 July 2011 |access-date=23 October 2007 |language=pt |url-status=dead}}</ref> The Line C had been extended to improve the access between the center of [[São Paulo]] and southern region of the [[Greater São Paulo]] including the circuit,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cetsp.com.br/internew/informativo/interlagos/2007/quemvai.htm#2010 |title=CET Operação Interlagos 2007 |publisher=CET – Companhia de Engenharia de Tráfego |access-date=17 October 2007 |language=pt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012030938/http://www.cetsp.com.br/internew/informativo/interlagos/2007/quemvai.htm |archive-date=12 October 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cptm.sp.gov.br/e_noticias/webnoticias/one_news.asp?IDNews=643 |title=Governador Geraldo Alckmin dá Início Às Obras de Extensão da Linha C |publisher=CPTM – [[Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos]] |date=21 November 2005 |access-date=17 October 2007 |language=pt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706160819/http://www.cptm.sp.gov.br/e_noticias/webnoticias/one_news.asp?IDNews=643 |archive-date=6 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cptm.sp.gov.br/e_noticias/webnoticias/one_news.asp?IDNews=753 |title=Companhia Inicia Obras Para Beneficiar População da Grande São Paulo |publisher=CPTM – [[Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos]] |date=27 December 2005 |access-date=17 October 2007 |language=pt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706160833/http://www.cptm.sp.gov.br/e_noticias/webnoticias/one_news.asp?IDNews=753 |archive-date=6 July 2011}}</ref> improving circuit accessibility.

===Planned 2012 redevelopment===
Shortly before the [[2011 Brazilian Grand Prix]], [[FIA]] race director [[Charlie Whiting]] detailed several planned upgrades of the circuit, including a new pit entrance and expanded run-off at the final corner, as a response to several fatal accidents at the circuit in 2011.<ref name="DRS">{{cite news|title=Single DRS zone in Brazil and track changes for 2012|url=http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2011/11/22/single-drs-zone-brazilian-grand-prix/|first=Keith|last=Collantine|work=F1 Fanatic|publisher=Keith Collantine|date=22 November 2011|access-date=23 November 2011}}</ref> In June 2012, further details of the proposed plans emerged, calling for the construction of a brand new pit building and the relocation of the start line from its current position between Arquibancadas and the Senna 'S' to Reta Oposta.<ref>{{cite news|title=F1: Ecclestone Approves Plan To Move Interlagos Pits |url=http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-bernie-ecclestone-approves-plan-to-move-interlagos-pits/ |work=[[Speed (TV channel)|SPEED]] |publisher=[[News Corporation (1980–2013)|News Corporation]] |date=15 June 2012 |access-date=16 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617040547/http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-bernie-ecclestone-approves-plan-to-move-interlagos-pits/ |archive-date=17 June 2012}}</ref> However, later it was decided to keep start/finish straight at its current location along with the new pit building.<ref>{{cite news|title=Brazilian Grand Prix F1 venue Interlagos begins major revamp|url=http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/115292|work=Edd Straw|publisher=[[Autosport]]|date=5 August 2014|access-date=6 August 2014}}</ref>

===Pit lane===
Interlagos has one of the longest pit-lanes ever used in Formula One, starting just before the start-finish straight and rejoining the main course after Curva do Sol. Entering the pits was originally not a trivial task, as the high speed and the left turning may force the car rightwards, out of the pits. The pit lane entrance received some changes to become safer for the [[2007 Brazilian Grand Prix|2007 Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix]], and later for the [[2014 Brazilian Grand Prix|2014 Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix]], when a [[chicane]] was added.