Schedules, guide and preview of Sao Paulo ePrix 2023

After the already disputed ePrix of Hyderabad -India- and Cape Town -South Africa-, Sao Paulo will be the third of the four new races on the 2023 calendar. June 24.

Pascal Wehrlein and TAG Heuer Porsche lead the Drivers’ and Teams’ World Championships, respectively. For his part, Jake Dennis —Avalanche Andretti— retains second place and Jean-Eric Vergne —DS Penske— third place.

THE LAYOUT:

The Sao Paulo ePrix will use the Anhembi Sambadrome, where more than 100,000 spectators gather to witness the colorful Escolas do Samba parade during the carnival season, and its surroundings for the race. The route chosen by the category is similar to the one used by IndyCar between 2010 and 2013, but it will not pass through Marginal Tietê, so it will not compromise the flow of the city.

Initially, the layout is high-speed, featuring three long straights – each with large braking zones – and tight corners – 11 in total – of 90 degrees and a chicane on the back straight. This implies that the total route is 2,933 meters. Drivers will need to build their confidence in the brakes and system settings will need to be optimized to avoid costly tire lockups.

Sao Paulo is a circuit that consumes a lot of energy and it will be quite difficult for the teams and drivers to meet their lap-by-lap targets, although some of the same will be recovered in the braking zones that has been lost on the long straights. As such, striking a careful balance will be critical.

Initially, the best places to pass are turns one, four, seven and ten. This is why qualifying should also be less important this weekend. For this occasion, the Attack Mode will be located in the external sector of the third curve.

The weather can also play a role, the area often enjoys heavy rain during March where temperatures range from 20-25ºC.

THE VISION OF THE PILOT

Sacha Fenestraz is ready to tackle the demanding track of Sao Paulo. In his latest performances, the Franco-Argentine rider is showing a very good pace, mainly in qualifying. His first podium is just around the corner and the São Paulo track could be the right one since it will be the closest race to Argentina —his adopted country. “Heading to yet another new circuit once again levels the playing field between myself and the more experienced drivers. This weekend almost feels like a homecoming, it is the closest race to where I grew up in Cordoba.

In Cape Town Sacha took his first pole position in Formula E. “Cape Town was positive for us, I got my first pole position in a World Championship event and now the goal is to continue that momentum. It looks like the track will allow for overtaking, surely this will make every lap a challenge. We are well rested and feel strong.”

MOTORING

In 1973, the José Carlos Pace Autodrome in Interlagos hosted the Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix for the first time. The stage remained until 1980 when it was replaced by Rio de Janeiro, until 1989. From 1990 to date, Sao Paulo has always formed part of the “Great Circus” calendar.

With many local motorsport legends such as Ayrton Senna, Emerson Fittipaldi, Rubens Barrichello or Felipe Massa, Brazil has a rich motorsport heritage. Senna, with 161 grand prix contested, won three Formula 1 World Championships, garnering 65 pole positions, 20 lap records and 80 podiums —41 of them were victories. — His life tragically ended on May 1, 1994 during the San Marino Grand Prix.

For his part, Fittipaldi added two titles in the “highest category”. His record includes six pole positions, six lap records and 35 podiums – where he climbed to the top step 14 times. While Nelson Piquet Sr. is another triple champion, he contested 204 Grands Prix setting 24 pole positions, 23 lap records and 60 podiums —23 wins.

In Formula E there is a good bunch of Brazilian drivers who have been pioneers in electric car racing. Nelson Piquet Jr. established himself as the first series champion in 2015, while Lucas di Grassi achieved it the following year. Former Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa has also been part of the series with Venturi. Bruno Senna, Felipe Nasr and Sergio Sette Camara have also been part of the grid.

THE CITY

Sao Paulo is one of the twenty-six states that make up the Federative Republic of Brazil. Its capital, Sao Paulo, is the largest city in Brazil and Latin America and the fourth largest in the world with 46,649,132 inhabitants.

In 2021, Sao Paulo presented its strategy to meet the goals to adapt the city to the need to reduce the generation of pollutants in the face of climate change in the world. Among the strategies are actions to reduce the demand for passenger and cargo transport services by reducing the need to travel around the city.

The largest GHG emissions in Sao Paulo come from transportation, in this segment the level of emissions grew from 8.36 million tons in 2010 to 9.57 million tons in 2017. For this reason, by 2029, the buses of the city ​​must emit 53% less carbon dioxide. By 2027, CO2 reductions will be 50%; and 100% by 2037. PM reductions should be 90% by 2027 and 95% by 2037.

CURIOSITIES:

Robin Frijns returns to the ABT Cupra team, due to the hand injury suffered at the season opener in Mexico, the Dutch driver had been replaced by Kelvin van der Linde —the team’s reserve driver— in the Ad Diriyah rounds, Hyderabad and Cape Town.

EPRIX COVERAGE

In Spain, Eurosport has the rights to the test, it will broadcast on its Eurosport Player channel. In the Río de la Plata area, Claro Sport will be in charge of the transmission through its YouTube channel. SoyMotor.com will bring you the latest news on everything that happens in Sao Paulo from the circuit itself.