Formula 1 São Paulo Grand Prix

The São Paulo Grand Prix is round 20 of the 2026 Formula 1 season, from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November 2026. It takes place at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, which almost everyone calls Interlagos, meaning 'between lakes'. The circuit is in the south of São Paulo, between two reservoirs. It hosted its first world championship Formula 1 race in 1973, and the promoter calls it the only circuit in South America approved by the FIA for Formula 1.

The circuit

The 4.309 km lap runs anticlockwise over hilly ground, starting on banked corners. Ayrton Senna influenced the redesign that created the Senna S, the corner sequence after the start. Because the track sits in a bowl, many grandstands see a long stretch of the lap. Formula1.com picks out Grandstand A, on the banked entry to the main straight, and Grandstand M, above Turn 1 and the Senna S.

The weekend

The 2026 schedule on formula1.com is a standard weekend. Practice 1 and 2 are on Friday, Practice 3 and qualifying on Saturday, and the 71-lap race starts at 14:00 local time on Sunday 8 November. Support races fill the gaps. The 2027 race, on 5–7 November 2027, is listed as a Sprint weekend (a short extra race on Saturday, on top of Sunday's Grand Prix).

Planning a trip

Interlagos is inside the city but a long way south of the centre, so where you stay and how you travel matter. Most visitors stay in central neighbourhoods and take the train on race days.

• The Senna S: the downhill sequence after the start, shaped by Ayrton Senna's influence on the 1990s redesign (promoter; formula1.com).
• Bowl-shaped views: Grandstand A, on the banked final corner, overlooks the infield and the main straight (formula1.com).
• Main straight and pits: the Sector M grandstand faces the pit lane, and Sector B looks over the grid, the flag and the podium (promoter's grandstand guide).
• Back straight: Sector G sits where cars reach their top speed at Interlagos (promoter's grandstand guide).
• Fanzone and entertainment: the promoter runs a Fanzone with its own tickets, and since 2021 the event has added Brazilian music acts (promoter).

• Pinheiros: on Line 9–Esmeralda, the line that serves the circuit. In 2024, formula1.com named Pinheiros as a boarding station for the race-day express train. It also has plenty of restaurants and bars.
• Paulista Avenue and Jardins: the central business and hotel district, with museums and restaurants. Take Metro Line 4 to Pinheiros, then change to Line 9.
• Santo Amaro: closer to Interlagos, where Line 5–Lilac meets Line 9. Santo Amaro bus terminal was also a departure point for the SPTrans express buses in 2024.

Interlagos itself is mainly residential, and the city centre has far more hotel choice. Staying near Line 9 keeps race-day journeys simple.

From the UK

Heathrow lists direct flights from London Heathrow (LHR) to São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) with British Airways and LATAM, both from Terminal 3. Guarulhos is north-east of the city, so allow time to cross São Paulo to reach Interlagos in the south.

To the circuit on race days

• Express train (2026): the promoter's directions page says ViaMobilidade Line 9–Esmeralda runs a special express service with exclusive boarding and set departure times. You choose a time and a boarding station, and a return ticket costs R$35. Tickets are sold through ViaMobilidade's Passaporte site. Trains stop at Cidade Dutra station on Line 9, a few minutes from the circuit. The promoter lists walks from the station of about 10 minutes (700 m) to the Porto Bank grandstand and Sector G. It's about 15 minutes to Sectors K, H, N and R, 25 minutes to Sectors D and M, and 30 minutes to Sector A.
• Regular trains: Line 9 also serves Autódromo station. In 2024, formula1.com put it about 500 m from the circuit and listed trains from 04:30 to midnight, running until 01:00 on Saturdays.
• Express buses: in 2024, SPTrans ran express buses on the Saturday and Sunday. They left from Shopping Market Place, Trianon/MASP, Santo Amaro bus terminal and Congonhas Airport. 2026 details weren't published on the official pages checked.

Your ticket and confirmation email name your access gate. Formula1.com strongly recommends public transport and expects heavy crowds when leaving each evening.

For the country, see our Brazil guide; we don't have a São Paulo city guide yet.

Tickets are sold through Eventim, the promoter's official ticketing service, at eventim.com.br/f1saopaulo. The promoter says tickets are subject to availability. Half-price tickets are available to students, seniors, people with disabilities and 15–29-year-olds, plus some extra groups set by São Paulo state and city rules.

Children under five aren't allowed in, and everyone else needs a ticket. Under-18s can't enter the Heineken Village sector. In its 2024 guide, formula1.com said tickets are valid only for their own day and re-entry isn't allowed. Buy only through Eventim or formula1.com's ticketing.

The 2027 race is confirmed for 5–7 November 2027; sales dates haven't been published on the official pages checked.

• Going this year? The race is less than two weeks away. Check flights, hotels and ticket availability on Eventim together before committing to any of them.
• Food and drink are cashless: the promoter says food and drink can only be bought with its prepaid Cashless card, valid for the three event days. Merchandise takes cash or card.
• Sun and rain: formula1.com's 2024 guide puts early November at roughly 18–26°C and says rain is still common. It suggests sunscreen, a hat, a raincoat and comfortable shoes.
• Arrive early: formula1.com advises getting in early to avoid the worst queues. In 2024 the gates opened at 08:00 each day.
• Bag checks and banned items: the 2024 list included umbrellas with pointed tips and stick flags. It also banned selfie sticks, tripods, drones, glass, cans, coolers, chairs and large signs. Up to three sealed food items per person were allowed. The current rules are in Eventim's ticket terms.
• Noise: F1 cars are loud, so ear protection is sensible, especially for children.

In its 2024 guide, formula1.com said all grandstands, the Fanzone and the VIP areas at Interlagos are accessible to people with disabilities and reduced mobility, with accessible toilets. People with disabilities qualify for half-price tickets. For tickets for disabled visitors or people with reduced mobility, the promoter asks you to use its customer service page. The promoter's pages don't give details of companion tickets or accessible parking, so ask through that page before you travel.

São Paulo is outside the areas where the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against travel. Those are river areas in western Amazonas State.

FCDO warns that pickpocketing is common and that criminals target large celebrations. It reports express kidnappings, and robberies from unlicensed taxis and from cars using fraudulent ride-hailing accounts. It advises against hailing taxis in the street. Use authorised airport taxi booths, or check that the car and driver match the app. FCDO also warns about card cloning at ATMs and in shops. Keep valuables out of sight, especially on crowded trains after the race.

• Before you go, read the UK government's FCDO travel advice for Brazil (entry requirements, safety and local laws).
• Flight delayed or cancelled on the way? See our Travel Disruption guide for your rights and live alerts.