Brazilian Grand Prix facts and stats you should know as Lando Norris could make history at Interlagos

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Formula 1 is at the Interlagos Circuit this weekend for the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo, with all eyes on the drivers’ championship battle.

Lando Norris has taken the lead in the 2025 title fight with a dominant performance at the last race in Mexico.

The Brit led impressive lights-to-flag victory around the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, which saw him leapfrog his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in the championship standings.

Piastri had led the title fight for the last 15 races after taking the top spot at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in April.

With the Brazilian Grand Prix being the penultimate Sprint race of the season, there is a nice opportunity for the championship leaders to score some significant points.

Read More: 2025 F1 Brazilian Grand Prix race, sprint and qualifying times, how to watch and Sao Paulo weather

Brazilian Grand Prix packed with over 50 years of Formula 1 history

The Brazilian Grand Prix was first hosted in 1972, being won by Argentine driver Carlos Reutemann in the Brabham-Ford. The event has predominantly been held at the Interlagos Circuit, otherwise known as Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace but spent ten years at the Jacarepagua Circuit after F1 bosses believed the Rio de Janeiro track was better suited for the sports luxurious look.

Five Brazilians have won their home grand prix, with Emerson Fittipaldi the first to stand on the top step of the podium with Lotus-Ford in 1973. After moving to McLaren the following year, the two-time world champion claimed victory again at Interlagos, before Carlos Pace took a third-consecutive victory for Brazil at home.

Pace, who the track is named after, having been made his final resting place in 2024, is the only Brazilian to have not won his home race twice, with Fittipaldi, Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna and Felipe Massa all claiming two victories each.

Six drivers’ championship battles have been settled at the Interlagos Circuit, mainly due to the fact that Brazil was previously the final race on the F1 calendar. Fernando Alonso took both his titles in 2005 and 2006 at Sao Paulo, with Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button taking their victories in 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively.

Five constructors’ victories have also been seen at the iconic circuit, including Renault’s double victory in 2006 and most recently Mercedes retaining their title in 2018.

Alain Prost is the most dominant driver at the Brazilian Grand Prix, having six victories between 1982 and 1990. Carlos Reutemann and Michael Schumacher share second with four apiece and current drivers Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are tied with Sebastian Vettel, who have all had three wins in Interlagos.

Track temperatures can reach some of the hottest that we see all year, and it is common for Sao Paulo to be hit by thunderstorms around the same time as a race weekend. The weather can be unpredictable at Interlagos, however, thunder is currently only forecast for Saturday’s qualifying.

Interlagos Circuit track stats and facts

The Interlagos Circuit or Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace is 4.309 km (2.677 mi) long, making it the fourth-shortest track on the current F1 calendar. Only Monaco, Zandvoort and Mexico are shorter than the Sao Paulo track.

It is also one of the highest-altitude circuits, being beaten by only Mexico, although it is significantly closer to sea level at just 800m compared to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez track, which is situated at 2,300m.

Interlagos also sees a dramatic elevation difference across the circuit, with a drop of 40m between the main straight and Turn 4.

The track is incredibly demanding on the cars, shifting from low-drag long straights to a twisty middle section which requires higher downforce. Teams need to ensure an optimal balance set-up to meet the demands of Interlagos, with them usually leaning towards the higher downforce build for fast laps.

With two long straights and the same number of DRS zones, there are plenty of opportunities for overtaking in those sections. Without many big braking zones, cars find it harder to recover energy to their batteries, meaning it can be harder for a defending car to prevent themselves from being overtaken.

Interlagos is the only track to have hosted a Sprint race weekend every year since the format’s conception in 2021 and will return again this year.

What have the F1 drivers said about the 2025 Brazilian Grand Prix?

Gabriel Bortoleto: “Growing up in São Paulo, I always dreamed of racing at Interlagos, and to do it as a Formula One driver is something I am really looking forward to – it almost feels unreal. All the work my family and I put in over the years has paid off, and I can’t wait to finally head out on track in front of my people”

Franco Colapinto: “It’s always great to be heading back to South America. Having experienced this event for the first time last year, I am really looking forward to getting back out on track in front of all the fans – especially with so many Argentinians there for support. There were lots of mixed emotions for myself at last year’s race in Brazil but the Interlagos track is a special one to drive as it has so much history and a real aura to it.

“We saw last year with Alpine that this is a race where anything can happen so we will aim to be ready and capitalise on any opportunities which could come our way, especially as it is a Sprint weekend with even more potential action. It has not been the easiest season for us this year but we are keeping our heads up and focused on doing the best job possible this weekend.”

Max Verstappen: “Brazil is a special place for me, not only because of the incredible races and the great moments that we have had there but also because my family in laws are also from Brazil. It can rain heavily there so you can have quite crazy races, especially last year’s race where we won after qualifying 17th, which was an emotional win and an important moment in the Championship.

I will be wearing my special Brazil helmet for this race. It is a place that has a lot of history and a great legacy but also holds so many great memories for me. I went for traditional colours on the helmet that really stand out, I think the design looks really cool and I’m excited to wear it on track. The fans are super passionate and I always love racing at such an old school track. Seeing that atmosphere and being part of it is incredible.”

Oscar Piastri: “Brazil is a great opportunity to score some big points, especially with the Sprint race. There is everything still to play for, and preparation for this weekend has been very productive.

“It’s a track that I enjoy with its elevation changes and the mix of long straights and tight sections. We’ll also have to keep an eye on the weather as always.”

Records that could be broken at the 2025 Brazilian Grand Prix

Lando Norris has the opportunity to break a record previously held by Michael Schumacher this weekend at the Brazilian Grand Prix. With his recent victory in Mexico, Norris matched the seven-time world champion in having his first 10 wins at 10 different circuits.

Schumacher had previously been the only driver to have achieved the feat, starting with his maiden victory at the Belgian Grand Prix in 1992, a further victory in Portugal the following year and then a string of dominance in 1994.

Norris took his first win at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix and has already stood on the top step of the podium six times this season. The Brit looks like he could be on form to take another victory this weekend, placing him above Schumacher in this unique Formula 1 record.

Max Verstappen also has the opportunity to pull ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel for the third most amount of wins in Brazil. If Verstappen takes the victory at Interlagos he will join Schumacher and Reutemann in second, with both drivers having won four times.