Motor racing-Formula One extends Sao Paulo contract to 2035

Formula One will ​continue to race at Sao ​Paulo's Interlagos circuit through ‌to ​2035 after announcing a five-year contract extension on Saturday. The existing contract, under an extension ‌agreed in 2023, was due to run until 2030.

Interlagos, officially named the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace after Brazil's 1975 race winner, first hosted ‌a world championship grand prix in 1973. It is currently the ‌only South American round of the championship. The atmospheric circuit has witnessed some major milestones in the sport's history, including the late triple champion Ayrton Senna’s ⁠emotional home ​win in ⁠1991, Kimi Raikkonen winning the 2007 title for Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton's first with ⁠McLaren in 2008.

"Brazil is an important part of Formula One’s history and ​our future, and I am delighted that this five-year extension ⁠will see us continue racing in São Paulo until 2035," said Formula One ⁠chief ​executive Stefano Domenicali. "The passion of our Brazilian fans is extraordinary, and every time we return to Interlagos we feel their ⁠energy in the grandstands and in the city of São Paulo."

Formula One ⁠said the ⁠new contract involved "significant investments" by the office of the mayor of São Paulo, Ricardo Nunes, to improve ‌the ‌fan experience.