Zoom Plenty of home support for Barrichello at Interlagos

The final race of the championship and takes Honda to Sao Paulo for the Brazilian Grand Prix. The 71-lap race takes place at the atmospheric 4.309km Autódromo José Carlos Pace in Interlagos.

The track is situated between two man-made lakes that provide water and electricity to Sao Paulo, giving rise to the traditional name of Interlagos. It first hosted the Brazilian Grand Prix in 1973, since when there have been several changes to the layout. The most significant alteration was in 1990, when the original 7.8km circuit was shortened to its current length. The track was renamed in the late 1970s after local hero José Carlos Pace, who won the only Grand Prix of his career at the circuit in 1975.

The track is one of only three circuits on the calendar that runs in an anti-clockwise direction, making it physically tough for the drivers. It is notoriously bumpy and, at 800 metres above sea level, is the highest racetrack of the year.

Both of the Honda drivers have finished on the podium in Brazil, Rubens Barrichello in 2004 and Jenson Button in 2006. The race is Barrichello’s home Grand Prix; he was born in Interlagos and used to visit the track as a small boy, before beginning his karting career there at the age of six.

Honda is ninth in the constructors' standings with 14 points. Barrichello has scored 11 points and Button three.

Rubens Barrichello
The Brazilian Grand Prix has always been very special to me and I am really pleased for the Brazilian fans that they have a fantastic weekend of racing to look forward to with the Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles still to be decided. Interlagos is special not just because it is my home track, but because it has a challenging layout with some great corners such as the Curva do Laranjinha. There are also real overtaking opportunities, at Turn 1 in particular. The main challenge at Interlagos is to find the best set-up for the combination of fast and slow corners, and particularly the tight infield section where high levels of grip are required. You also need to have total confidence in your car and a good mechanical set-up with a high ride-height to manage the bumpy surface. As always, I’m looking forward to having my family and friends around me for the race weekend and to racing in front of my home fans.”

Jenson Button
“Sao Paulo is a fantastic venue for the final race of the season as it’s such a lively city and the Brazilian fans are incredibly passionate about Formula One. There is always a good atmosphere at Interlagos. The circuit itself is a challenging one for the drivers, which makes it all the more enjoyable to drive. The track surface is notoriously bumpy and you have to have a good understanding of where the bumps are and do your best to minimise their impact. It has an anti-clockwise layout which is quite unusual and this means using muscles in the neck which aren’t used to the exertion, therefore the correct training in advance of the race is crucial. I’m looking forward to the weekend and, although we have had a tough year in 2008, we will go to Brazil and give our all to finish the season on a high note.”