Circuito dos Cristais – Curvelo

When was the track built?

Opened in 2014, based on the concept of a race resort, with also a “Club House” nearby, it has obtained immediately the FIA Grade-2 certification and it was associated with MotoGP and Formula 1, although it managed to host mainly national events.
With small improvements to safety standards, it will be included in the list of Brazilian circuits by the new Formula One Organization, providing great benefits also in this region.

When was its first Grand Prix?

It will be the first Formula 1 GP in this venue.
It is one of the seven Brazilian circuits that will rotate to host the final three rounds of the South American Series and the first round of the World Championship.

What’s the circuit like?

It’s a very technical layout, appreciated by drivers, although overtaking will come at a premium; Turn 1 seems the best place for wheel-to-wheel duels.
There is a good mix and variety of corners, with a particularly interesting and tricky braking at Turn 13; cars must have precision and balance in mid-speed curves and good traction in the slower ones.
Qualifying will be very important although the race could be affected by heavy showers and storms.

Where is it located?

Near the city of Curvelo, in Minas Gerais State in central Brazil, around 150km north of Belo Horizonte and its International airport. (-18.807149, -44.409590)