With uncertainty surrounding the long-term future of the F1 Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo, the country’s president, Jair Bolsonaro has stated that a switch of venues will happen as soon as next season when the event moves to Rio de Janeiro.
Bolsonaro announced that a deal has already been signed with Rio governor Wilson Witzel and mayor Marcelo Crivella for the construction of a new track in the city’s Deodoro district, funded entirely by private money, reports Autosport.
“The management of F1 has decided to maintain a grand prix in Brazil, but Sao Paulo has become impractical because of the event’s public financial support and the debt that exists over there,” said president Bolsonaro. “The new racetrack will be built in six or seven months. The hotel sector will be happy, the state economy as well since it will be six or seven thousands jobs generated.”
“It’s good for both Rio de Janeiro and Brazil,” he concluded.
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Formula 1 historians will recall that Rio actually hosted the Brazilian Grand Prix before, between 1978 and 1989 – at the Jacarepagua circuit. That track was however demolished in 2016 in order to make room for the Olympic Park.
As for the new Deodoro circuit, it will be built on land formerly owned by the military, and will be designed by German engineer and racing driver, Hermann Tilke.
He has designed many tracks currently in use by Formula 1 today, such as Sepang, Bahrain, Shanghai, Marina Bay, Yas Marina, the new Circuit of the Americas, the Sochi Autodrom and more.
Let’s hope that whatever he has in store for Rio will be at least as exciting as Interlagos.
