• The Inside Line

Keeping it real in Interlagos

© Associated Press

Enlarge

At the risk of sounding like a low-rent Trentham Sleaves, there's a certain magic to Interlagos that has to be experienced in order to be fully understood.

As Formula One has spread its wings and moved into wealthy pastures new around the world, circuit facilities have evolved from the basic to the five-star. The first time I went to Sepang I spoke to a colleague who said that - as the first of the new generation of circuits - the F1 press corps had been blown away by the Malaysian paddock and press room when they first arrived. Now, 15 years on, Sepang is getting shabby and ranks in the lower half of circuits in terms of facilities.

If Interlagos was ever a luxe and impressive facility, it was long before my time.

But the home of the Brazilian Grand Prix is a special place, irrespective of the facilities on offer. The press room has seen better days, but offers views of the track unrivalled anywhere else on the calendar. The paddock is small enough that it could fit in my cavernous handbag, but its size has long been part of the charm for those of us who don't have to try and rebuild race cars within its narrow confines.

Every year, as stories of potential upgrades and changes to the circuit have been proposed, my (selfish) heart has sunk further and further. Interlagos is a proper racer's track, one of the best circuits on the calendar. And forcing teams and media to live and work cheek by jowl has a certain charm - instead of hunting for stories, you stumble over them just by going from A to B.

And as the Silverstone facelift has sadly demonstrated, even the smallest tweaks to a classic circuit can completely change the character of the place, both as a race track and as a venue.

Which is why details of Interlagos' forthcoming facelift have left me dancing with joy, and not sobbing into my cornflakes. Instead of the proposed (and expensive) relocation of both paddock and start/finish straight, the powers that be have seen sense and decided to maximise the existing space by building backwards into an access road that was never used for anything. The circuit will be essentially unchanged, which is the most sensible approach to take with an iconic track.

The facilities will be upgraded, most likely at the cost of some of the old-school charm I've come to enjoy, but it is far better to see some tweaks and keep the track than it is to lose Interlagos in any form.

Teams will have more space in both hospitality suites and garages, while the media will have a shiny new glass tower to call home, preserving those all-important views of the track. The biggest change (space aside) will come in the form of a covered paddock, protecting all and sundry from the vagaries of the Sao Paulo climate.

In plastic surgery terms, Interlagos is having some very subtle work done, a facelift that will leave the beloved track looking more like a well-rested returnee from a luxury break than a Bride of Wildenstein horror show. And thank god for that!

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Feeds: Kate Walker

• Email
• Feedback
• Print

Email