iRacing has confirmed that Interlagos will finally be released, included in the new build coming sometime next week. iRacing finally secured a license to scan the track, then scheduled to scan this track back in the spring, but the scanning equipment was confiscated by Brazillian customs for months at the airport. After a lot of time and money, the virtual version of the track is finally complete and race-ready.
Links: First Scan Image | Screenshot 1 | Screenshot 2
Autódromo José Carlos Pace, also known by its former name Interlagos, is a motorsport circuit located in the city of São Paulo, renamed after Carlos Pace, a Brazilian Formula One driver who had died in a 1977 plane crash. It is well known for being the venue of the Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix.
Tony Gardner got a chance to take to the racetrack after it was completed.
“Just driving it here in the office in its finished state. What a wonderful track. So cool seeing the city in the background and all the objects, pretty unique track. I think 15 turns. If you have a decent computer, make sure you turn graphics setting up when you check it out. Anyway, will be in the build next week. For those that don’t know it was quite a saga (and expensive) getting this track in iRacing. From getting license to then getting laser scanners confiscated in customs for months at the airport. Then starting from scratch, literally years in the making. Anyway, think it will be worth it. Especially excited for our Brazilian community who is among the fastest growing on iRacing.”
Links: Interlagos Track Page | Road Course News Page
In 1979 upgrading work was done and the pit lane was extended past the first left-hand turn (Curva 1), making the corner more narrow, and the pit lane ended right in the middle of Curva 1 and 2. The present design of the track dates back from 1990, when the original circuit was shortened from 7,829 m to only 4,397 m (so that it could fit the new FIA restrictions on track length). As a consequence of the reduction, the track lost three long straight sections and nine fast curves (5 were lost forever, 4 were made slower and are still there). The original track was full of fast corners and it allowed cars to keep maximum speed for up to twenty seconds and was considered very dangerous (although no one ever died there whilst racing Formula One) and in 1990 the old layout was majorly revised. The new track still had a very long top-speed section that contained bumps, high-speed turns and little run-off area (though the track is very wide at this point).
