The City hall in Rio de Janeiro has selected a group of companies to build a new race track that could host Formula 1 and MotoGP races. Currently, the Brazilian Grand Prix is hoster in Sao Paulo at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, also known as Interlagos. The track has hosted F1 from 1972–1977, 1979–1980 and 1990–2019 with the final race as per current contract scheduled for 2020.
Despite the contract, reports have claimed that the Brazilian Grand Prix could be moved to Rio from next year itself. While other reports claim that it would only begin after the contract with Interlagos has been fulfilled. However, the move could still be challenged in courts. City Hall records published on Tuesday revealed that the Rio MotorSports group was the only bidder for building the track in the northern part of Rio. Rio MotorSports also confirmed that it will build and operate the track in the region of Deodoro for 35 years.
The President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro stated that the new track could be used to host F1 and MotoGP races and wished the track be named after the Brazilian driver, Ayrton Senna. However, the final track layout has been revealed and confirmed that the track though itself will not be named after the three-time world champion, however, it will feature a set of corners named after the racing driver called the ‘Senna S’.
Rio last hosted Formula 1 at the Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet for 1978 and from 1981–1989. But the track was destroyed and replaced with Rio’s Olympic Park with a promise that the city will get a new race track soon. The city is hoping to win the bid to host the Brazilian Grand Prix when the contract for Interlagos ends in 2020, however, the current organisers for the race are already in talks with the commercial rights holder of the sport, Liberty Media to extend their contract for another 10 years.
The design layout of the race track has been made with collaboration with F1’s go-to track designer Hermann Tilke, has seen some changes since the initial sketches. Tilke has said that the track in Rio will feature characteristics of a modern track being dynamic and full of emotion. He also went on to mention that it will be a venue that will be created with a multidisciplinary approach that allows a very wide range of use in other sports, serving the whole community Tilke has been one of the most popular designers of F1 race tracks around the world. He has designed the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi, Sochi AutoDrome which hosts the Russian Grand Prix, the Baku City Circuit in Azerbaijan and also the Budds Internation Circuit in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh which featured on the F1 calendar three times.
The intent to move to Rio has also met with some backlash from Rio prosecutors who have stated that they will challenge the city hall’s decision based on environmental issues as the track is expected to be built next to the Camboata forest. Rio MotorSports said that they will have a proper moment for technical evaluation and approval of the environmental license to the construction of the track. While the track is estimated to cost $170 million to help boost Rio’s crumbling economy, officials have promised that no taxpayer’s money will be used on the project.
