Rio de Janeiro hopes to “steal” the Brazilian Grand Prix from Sao Paulo
The city of Sao Paulo has been hosting Formula 1 continuously since 1990, but the other major city in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, would like to reclaim the hosting of the Brazilian Grand Prix in the coming years.
Since 1990, the Brazilian Grand Prix of Formula 1 has been held at the Interlagos circuit, located in the heart of the city of Sao Paulo. The latter has not been the only host city for Formula 1 in Brazil; in fact, in 1978 and from 1981 to 1989, it was its rival Rio de Janeiro that hosted Formula 1.
The Brazilian event was held at the Jacarepaguá circuit, also known as the Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet do Rio de Janeiro. However, it will soon no longer exist, as its demolition began at the end of October this year.
The area of the Jacarepaguá track will host infrastructures for the 2016 Summer Olympics in the coming years, for which Rio de Janeiro was selected as the host city. The Brazilian city was also chosen as one of the host cities for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil.
Under the impetus of its mayor, Eduardo Paes, Rio de Janeiro would also like to bring back Formula 1 at the expense of Sao Paulo and its Interlagos circuit. Paes hopes to launch the construction of a new circuit in the Deodoro district, on the site of an old military base. Originally, what was a munitions depot was to become a park, but plans could change to incorporate a racetrack, somewhat like Albert Park in Melbourne or Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.
The new layout could be completed by 2015, which coincides with the end of the contract between Interlagos and Formula 1. Eduardo Paes’s stated goal is to take Formula 1 from Sao Paulo, as he mentioned at a press conference, cited by *The F1 Times*: « Be prepared in Sao Paulo because I am going to steal Formula 1 from you. »
He also stated that he wouldn’t be opposed to having two races in Brazil if that were possible and that before applying for the spot in São Paulo, he would try to discuss with Bernie Ecclestone to see what could be done.
The aspirations of Rio de Janeiro could also allow Bernie Ecclestone to pressure the officials of Interlagos to modernize their infrastructure, even if a review on renovating the facilities has already begun.
