Brazil GP is back with samba energy—and this year it hits different. On 9 November 2025, Formula 1 storms into São Paulo’s Interlagos for a Grand Prix and Sprint weekend. Brazil finally has a home hero on the grid again. If you’re an F1 fan who always wanted a reason to learn a little Portuguese and plan a trip to Brazil, this is your sign.
Hype check: the São Paulo Grand Prix runs 7–9 November. Friday brings practice and Sprint Quali, Saturday has the Sprint and Qualifying, and the race starts Sunday at 17:00 (UTC-3) at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace—Interlagos to the world. Expect quick weather swings, roaring torcidas (fans), and city views that make even TV shots feel cinematic.
A Brazilian F1 Driver is Back

Meet Gabriel Bortoleto, the 21-year-old rookie carrying the green-and-yellow flag for 2025 with Kick Sauber. He’s on a multi-year deal alongside Nico Hülkenberg, joining just as the team prepares to become the Audi works outfit in 2026—so his learning curve and the team’s next chapter rise together.
Born in the state of São Paulo, Bortoleto rocketed through the junior ranks: FIA Formula 3 champion in 2023 and the 2024 FIA Formula 2 Drivers’ Champion. He’s the first driver to win both F3 and F2 since Oscar Piastri, the man currently leading the F1 World Championship, so it’s safe to say expectations are high. Mentored by Fernando Alonso’s A14 Management and previously part of McLaren’s Driver Development Programme, he’s known for clean racecraft, calm under pressure, and sharp tire management—traits that tend to shine at Interlagos.
For Brazilian fans, his debut ends an eight-year wait for a full-time home driver since Felipe Massa’s 2017 farewell. Expect the grandstands to sound like a football final—especially through the Senna S—every time Bortoleto attacks into Turn 1. Vai, Brasil!
How to Follow and Plan
Watching from abroad? Double-check the official schedule and convert local time (UTC-3). Interlagos weather can flip the script, so Safety Cars and late drama are part of the magic. If you’re going, target seats near the Senna S or the uphill blast to the line—you’ll feel the engines in your chest and catch overtakes lap after lap.
Want to cheer in Portuguese when the lights go out? Join our community: start with friendly online group classes or a private lesson to learn the basics fast, then come to Rio and practice with us at our RioLIVE events—immersive, real-world outings across the city where you use Portuguese with locals and classmates. We keep it fun, cultural, and practical—so when you land in Brazil, you’re ready to order a pastel, chat with fans, and sing “Vai, Brasil!” like you mean it.
Interlagos F1 tickets: How and When to Buy
The São Paulo GP 2025 weekend is already in motion, so official allocations are effectively gone. If you’re planning ahead, focus on Interlagos F1 tickets for next season—presales open fast and sell out even faster. For peace of mind, buy direct from the source: official Interlagos F1 tickets.
Learn Interlagos, Learn Portuguese: Corner by Corner
Interlagos isn’t just fast—it tells a story in Portuguese. The lap rises and falls like a samba beat, wind whipping across the plateau and grandstands stacked right on top of the action. Learn the corner names and you’ll hear the circuit the way Brazilians do.
| Portuguese | English |
|---|---|
| S do Senna | Senna S’s |
| Curva do Sol | Sun Curve |
| Reta Oposta | Opposite Straight |
| Descida do Lago | Descent to the Lake |
| Ferradura | Horseshoe |
| Laranjinha | Little Orange |
| Pinheirinho | Little Pine |
| Bico de Pato | Duck’s Beak |
| Mergulho | The Dive |
| Junção | Junction |
| Subida dos Boxes | Pit-Lane Climb |
| Arquibancadas | Grandstands |
Try it during the weekend: ask a marshal or fellow fan, “Onde fica a Curva do Sol?” (Where is the Sun Curve?) and swap tips in the stands—language is half the experience.

Historic moments at Interlagos
Senna’s home-win miracle (1991)
Ayrton Senna finally conquered Interlagos in a race that became folklore. With a failing gearbox, he finished the last laps effectively stuck in sixth, arms cramping, voice breaking on the radio. When he took the flag, the roar rolled over the hills like thunder. Marshals helped him from the car; on the podium, he could barely lift the trophy—yet he did, and Brazil lost its mind.
Hamilton’s last-lap title snatch (2008)
Felipe Massa won the race and, for a few heart-stopping seconds, thought he’d won the championship at home. The Ferrari garage erupted—until the rain-hit final lap delivered one more twist. On worn slicks, Timo Glock tip-toed through the last corners, and Lewis Hamilton—desperate for fifth place—slipped past just before the line. Title by one point. Euphoria to heartbreak in a blink; Interlagos, immortal.
Verstappen’s rain mastery (2024)
In a soaked, chaotic São Paulo Grand Prix, Max Verstappen stormed from 17th on the grid to win—after a power-unit penalty dropped him five places from his P12 qualifying spot. Safety Cars, a red flag and razor-sharp calls turned the race into a strategic knife fight, but Verstappen carved through the pack and never let go once he hit clean air. Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly delivered a shock double podium for Alpine, while polesitter Lando Norris faded to sixth as the weather swung back and forth. It was Verstappen’s first victory since Spain—and one of the deepest comeback wins Interlagos has ever seen. Ultimately helping to secure Verstappen’s 4th World Championship.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hamilton_Brazil_2008_celebrations.jpgWhy This Year Matters
A local driver on the grid changes the pulse of the whole weekend. From chants of “Vai, Brasil!” to flags dancing above the paddock, the Brazil GP at Interlagos becomes more than a race—it’s a cultural festival.
If this stirs something in you, come learn Portuguese with us—online from home or in Rio with our immersive classes—and let Interlagos be the moment you fall in love with Brazil for real.
We’ll be watching—vem assistir com a gente?

SEO Content Specialist at Rio & Learn Portuguese School. A native English speaker who arrived in Brazil six months ago and quickly fell in love with the country, Tom focuses exclusively on Brazil-focused content. He combines data-driven keyword research with careful fact-checking in collaboration with Rio & Learn’s Brazilian teachers.