As once the case in Argentina, the success of a Formula One driver also led to the opening of a track in Brazil. Although the track was there long before his birth, it took the success of Emerson Fittapaldi to bring Formula One to it.

Set in the suburbs of Sao Paulo, the original track was 4.949 miles in length, one of the longest of any track used in any era. It was made up of a sweeping outer section, followed by a tight and twisty trail through the infield.

The track is very bumpy, and it takes great reflexes and skill to have control of the car in any given situation, the tight corners posing some serious problems for the speeding machines. A chicane has since been placed at the first corner, to slow the cars down.

Formula One made its debut in this South American country in 1973. At the time, the Interlagos circuit near São Paulo covered a distance of 7.96 kilometres and was picturesquely sited between two lakes.

In 1978, Formula One moved to the Jacarepagua track near Rio de Janeiro, where a total of ten grands prix were held. Since 1990 the Brazilian Grand Prix has been held on a radically shortened race track at Interlagos. In time for the 2003 GP, both the track and the team facilities were refurbished and modernised.

Founded in 1554, São Paulo is the capital of the southern Brazilian state of the same name and Latin America's largest industrial centre. São Paulo is a centre of finance and trade and a vast sprawling city. Fluctuating statistics on its population and geographical area indicate how difficult it is to keep track of these. It is currently estimated that the city itself has ten million inhabitants, rising to double that figure when its environs are included.

Profound social divides, extreme poverty and rising crime are the reasons why this most highly populated city in the southern hemisphere regularly hits the headlines. Violent and bloody unrest from May to July 2006 cost the lives of an estimated 180 people.

The city lies at an altitude of 750 metres above sea level, with the circuit - situated a little distance away from it - at around 800 metres. The consequent thinning of the air robs all Formula One engines of around eight percent of their potential power.