Few races in Formula One blend passion, unpredictability and raw technical challenge quite like the Brazilian Grand Prix. Known today as the São Paulo Grand Prix, the event has produced emotional home victories, title deciders and some of the sport’s most dramatic wet-weather showdowns.
From the sweeping curves of Interlagos to the flat expanses of Jacarepaguá, Brazil has crowned world champions and unlikely heroes alike.
What To Know?
- Most Successful Driver: Alain Prost holds the record for the most Brazilian Grand Prix victories with six wins across three different teams, achieved between 1982 and 1990.
- Home Heroes: Brazilian drivers have won the race nine times in total, shared between Emerson Fittipaldi, Carlos Pace, Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna and Felipe Massa.
- Multiple Circuit Eras: The race has been held at two main venues, Interlagos in São Paulo and Jacarepaguá in Rio de Janeiro, with Interlagos hosting the majority of championship editions since 1990.
- Title Decider Reputation: Interlagos became famous for late-season drama in the 2000s, playing a decisive role in championship outcomes in 2007, 2008 and 2012.
List of Every Brazilian Grand Prix Winner
Brazilian Grand Prix Winners: 1973 to 1980
The championship era began at Interlagos in 1973, and it was immediately shaped by Brazilian excellence.
Emerson Fittipaldi won the first two Brazilian Grands Prix of the World Championship in 1973 and 1974, first with Lotus and then with McLaren. His back-to-back home triumphs established the race as a national celebration.
In 1975, Carlos Pace secured his only Formula One victory for Brabham. The emotional success at Interlagos later led to the circuit being renamed in his honour.
Ferrari then enjoyed success with Niki Lauda in 1976 and Carlos Reutemann in 1977 and 1978, underlining the Scuderia’s strength in the late 1970s.
French victories followed as Jacques Laffite won for Ligier in 1979 and Rene Arnoux triumphed for Renault in 1980, signalling the growing impact of turbo power.
Brazilian Grand Prix Winners: 1981 to 1989
The 1980s were largely defined by the Jacarepaguá circuit in Rio de Janeiro and by one dominant figure.
Alain Prost became the most successful winner in Brazilian Grand Prix history. He claimed victories in 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987 and 1988 with Renault and McLaren, mastering tyre management and race strategy on the abrasive surface.
Brazilian pride was restored by Nelson Piquet, who won in 1983 for Brabham and again in 1986 with Williams Honda during his championship years.
Reutemann added another win in 1981 for Williams, while Nigel Mansell delivered a Ferrari victory in 1989, overcoming technical concerns in a typically combative drive.
Brazilian Grand Prix Winners: 1990 to 1999
The race returned permanently to a shortened Interlagos layout in 1990, beginning a new chapter filled with emotion and championship significance.
Prost added one final Brazilian victory in 1990, this time with Ferrari, before the spotlight shifted to Ayrton Senna. His 1991 home win remains one of Formula One’s defining moments, achieved despite severe gearbox issues. He repeated the feat in a rain-soaked 1993 classic.
Michael Schumacher won consecutively in 1994 and 1995 with Benetton, laying the foundations for his later dominance.
Williams enjoyed a strong mid 1990s run, with Damon Hill victorious in 1996 and Jacques Villeneuve winning in 1997 during their respective title campaigns.
The decade closed with back-to-back triumphs for Mika Hakkinen in 1998 and 1999, confirming McLaren’s return to championship form.
Brazilian Grand Prix Winners: 2000 to 2008
Interlagos became synonymous with late-season drama in the 2000s. Schumacher returned to win for Ferrari in 2000 and 2002, the latter a narrow victory that underlined Ferrari’s early 2000s supremacy.
In 2001, David Coulthard took victory for McLaren, while the chaotic 2003 race was eventually awarded to Giancarlo Fisichella after a red flag confusion.
Juan Pablo Montoya won in 2004 and 2005 with Williams and McLaren, respectively, both times demonstrating his decisive overtaking style.
Brazilian fans celebrated again in 2006 when Felipe Massa became the first home winner since Senna. He repeated the achievement in 2008 in one of the most dramatic title finales in F1 history.
Between those Massa victories, Kimi Raikkonen secured the 2007 race win and the world championship in a remarkable turnaround.
Brazilian Grand Prix Winners: 2009 to 2019
The final decade of the Brazilian Grand Prix as a season-ending fixture delivered a mix of dynasties and unforgettable wet-weather battles.
Mark Webber won in 2009 and 2011 for Red Bull, while Sebastian Vettel won in 2010 and 2013, collecting four consecutive world titles. Vettel added another Interlagos win in 2017 with Ferrari.
Jenson Button mastered changeable conditions to win in 2012. The track that in 2009 he completed a fairy-tale season and the Championship.
The Mercedes era was reflected in consecutive victories for Nico Rosberg in 2014 and 2015 and for Lewis Hamilton in 2016 and 2018. Hamilton’s 2016 win in torrential rain stands among his finest performances.
The most recent Brazilian Grand Prix of this period was won by Max Verstappen in 2019, a commanding drive that previewed Red Bull’s future success with Honda power.
From Fittipaldi’s early celebrations to Senna’s emotional triumphs and the modern era of hybrid dominance, the Brazilian Grand Prix consistently reflected the wider competitive landscape of Formula One.
More F1 Race Winners
From Adelaide to Silverstone to Monza and Spa, we chart the full story of every F1 winner from each event’s first race to the last.
| Grand Prix | Year(s) held | Races held |
|---|---|---|
| 70th Anniversary | 2020 | 1 |
| Abu Dhabi | 2009-2026 | 17 |
| Argentina | 1953–1958, 1960, 1972-75, 1977-81, 1995-98 | 20 |
| Australia | 1985-2019, 2022–2026 | 39 |
| Austria | 1964, 1970-1987, 1997-2003, 2014-2026 | 38 |
| Azerbaijan | 2017-2019, 2021–2026 | 8 |
| Bahrain | 2004-2010, 2012-2026 | 21 |
| Belgium | 1950–1956, 1958, 1960-1968, 1970, 1972-2002, 2004–2005, 2007–2026 | 70 |
| Brazil | 1973-2019 | 47 |
| Britain | 1950–2026 | 76 |
| Caesars Palace | 1981-1982 | 2 |
| Canada | 1967-1974, 1976-1986, 1988-2008, 2010-19, 2022–2026 | 54 |
| China | 2004-19, 2024–2026 | 18 |
| Dallas | 1984 | 1 |
| Detroit | 1982-1988 | 7 |
| Eifel | 2020 | 1 |
| Emilia Romagna | 2020–2022, 2024–2025 | 5 |
| Europe | 1983-1985, 1993-1997, 1999-2012, 2016 | 23 |
| France | 1950–1954, 1956-2008, 2018-2019, 2021–2022 | 62 |
| Germany | 1951–1954, 1956–1959, 1961-2006, 2008-2014, 2016, 2018-19 | 64 |
| Hungary | 1986-2026 | 40 |
| India | 2011-2013 | 3 |
| Indianapolis | 1950–1960 | 11 |
| Italy | 1950–2026 | 76 |
| Japan | 1976-1977, 1987-2019, 2022–2026 | 39 |
| Las Vegas | 2023–2026 | 3 |
| Luxembourg | 1997-1998 | 2 |
| Malaysia | 1999-2017 | 19 |
| Mexico | 1963-1970, 1986-1992, 2015-2019 | 20 |
| Mexico City | 2021–2026 | 5 |
| Miami | 2022–2026 | 4 |
| Monaco | 1950, 1955-2019, 2021–2026 | 71 |
| Morocco | 1958 | 1 |
| Netherlands | 1952–1953, 1955, 1958-1971, 1973-85, 2021–2026 | 35 |
| Pacific | 1994-1995 | 2 |
| Pescara | 1957 | 1 |
| Portugal | 1958–1960, 1984-1996, 2020–2021, 2027 | 18 |
| Qatar | 2021, 2023-2026 | 4 |
| Russia | 2014-2021 | 8 |
| Sakhir | 2020 | 1 |
| San Marino | 1981-2006 | 26 |
| Sao Paulo | 2021–2026 | 5 |
| Saudi Arabia | 2021–2026 | 5 |
| Singapore | 2008-2019, 2022–2026 | 16 |
| South Africa | 1962-1963, 1965, 1967-1980, 1982-1985, 1992-1993 | 23 |
| South Korea | 2010-2013 | 4 |
| Spain | 1951, 1954, 1968-1979, 1981, 1986-2026 | 55 |
| Styria | 2020–2021 | 2 |
| Sweden | 1973-1978 | 6 |
| Switzerland | 1950–1954, 1982 | 6 |
| Turkey | 2005-2011, 2020–2021 | 9 |
| Tuscany | 2020 | 1 |
| USA | 1959-80, 1989-91, 2000–2007, 2012-19, 2021–2026 | 46 |
| USA West | 1976-1983 | 8 |
Seen in:
