Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo 2026

The Autódromo José Carlos Pace, known worldwide by its historic name Interlagos, is one of motorsport’s most traditional racetracks. Construction began in 1938, and the track was inaugurated on May 12, 1940, by Adhemar de Barros, the federal interventor of the state of São Paulo at the time. The planners’ conception was inspired by three European and American predecessors: Brooklands in Great Britain, Roosevelt Raceway in the USA, and Montlhéry in France. The name Interlagos refers to its location between two artificially created lakes, Guarapiranga and Billings, which were built at the beginning of the 20th century to supply water and electricity to the metropolis of São Paulo.

The circuit received its current official name in honor of José Carlos Pace, a Brazilian Formula 1 driver who died in a plane crash in 1977. The renaming honors his memory and anchors the track firmly in Brazil’s national motorsport consciousness to this day. The track became internationally renowned primarily as the longtime host of the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Brazil, establishing itself as one of the most prestigious venues on the racing calendar.

The layout of the circuit is considered compact yet extremely challenging. The circuit is driven counterclockwise and measures 4.309 kilometers. Characteristic features are the undulating elevation changes of the terrain as well as fast corner combinations that demand high precision from drivers and regularly produce dramatic finishes at the line. In the summer of 2015, the facility underwent comprehensive modernization: Starting on July 15, construction crews with trucks, cranes, and excavators arrived to bring infrastructure and track areas up to the latest standards and prepare the Autódromo José Carlos Pace for future major events.

For the endurance racing scene, the circuit became a permanent fixture on the calendar when the FIA World Endurance Championship created the 6 Hours of São Paulo. The inaugural running took place on September 15, 2012, as the fifth round of the 2012 WEC season. Since then, the Brazilian round has stood for thrilling sports car action in front of passionate South American crowds, who give the track between the two reservoirs its own unique and captivating atmosphere.

With the running of the Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo 2026, the WEC builds on this established tradition. The combination of historic heritage, technically demanding track layout, and the special location in the heart of the megacity makes Interlagos one of the championship’s most emotional venues and promises intense endurance racing on South American soil in the coming season.