The Brazilian Grand Prix leaves its seat

Jair Bolsonaro, the current President of Brazil, has confirmed the intention to organize the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Rio de Janeiro, which would amount to withdrawing from Interlagos by 2020. To achieve this goal he will have to create a new circuit from scratch. , which will be located in the region of Deodoro – in the western part of the city.

The Brazilian Grand Prix has had its place on the Formula 1 calendar since 1973. 36 editions were organized, as it will be in 2019, at the "Interlagos" José Carlos Autodrome in Sao Paulo, although ten times, Formula 1 went to the Jacarepaguá circuit in Rio de Janeiro.

The project will also want to take over MotoGP and, as part of the road course project, it is planned to follow the model of circuits such as Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Silverstone or Austin.

"A new road course will be built, its construction will last six to seven months and the Grand Prix will be held in Rio de Janeiro next year," said Bolsonaro during a military ceremony there, without specifying for the time being. works.

"In Sao Paulo, there is a public participation (of the municipality), with a huge debt, now Formula 1 is no longer viable, that's why it will come back to Rio," added the president .

Bolsonaro signed on Wednesday a memorandum of understanding for the construction of a new circuit in the military zone of Deodoro (west), which has already hosted some facilities during the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro 2016, mainly on horseback and kayaking. .

The president promised that the new road course would be built "without public funds" and create "7,000 direct and indirect jobs". The Brazilian Formula 1 GP was played in Rio de Janeiro in 1979 and between 1981 and 1989, before returning to the Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo, where they had also made their first editions since 1972.

The Interlagos circuit is currently managed by the São Paulo City Council, which has been privatizing it for years. According to the Brazilian press, the leaders of Liberty Media, owner of the F1 since January 2017, went to Rio last November to discuss with the local authorities the possible change of the Sao Paulo test on the wonderful city.