Brazil and Formula 1 have had a long and rich history together. While there hasn't been a Brazilian manufacturer in the sport, some of the greatest drivers of all time have called the South American nation home. From Emerson Fittipaldi and Nelson Piquet to the incomparable Ayrton Senna and Felipe Massa, the country has given a lot to F1.
The Brazilian Grand Prix has been an ever-present on the F1 calendar since 1972, and since 1990 has been held exclusively and an unchanged Interlagos circuit. This means it is one of the best-known tracks to F1 fans and F1 2018 players, but the course is still a challenge in many ways.
Like a lot of older tracks the circuit gets especially narrow, which means traffic problems are only exacerbated. There are only a handful of overtaking points around the lap and you need to take advantage of them. Let's have a look at the best spots to make a pass.
Turn 1
The best spot is into turn 1. It's a long flatout run up the hill through turns 13,14, & 15 with DRS available, putting you in great position to get a slipstream and make a pass on the brakes into turn 1. This downhill left leads into the Senna Esses and has a wide enough entry that you can risk a move to either side. The outside attempt will be more difficult, but it does set you up with the inside line into turn 2 where you can get your elbows out and force the issue if your opponent is being stubborn.
Turn 4
It's another DRS straight into turn 4, where the slow left-hander provides the second overtaking point of the lap. A good run through the esses is vital to getting top speed here. The track narrows at this point, making a pass a bit trickier, but it can be done if you have better tyres.
If you have a big overspeed and performance advantage, it is possible to get a dive up the inside at turn 8 and turn 10 done, though it can be very tricky to time right and risks your front wing far too much to be advisable against other players in an online race. Brazil does host a few tough corners too that can easily catch you out and cost you time. Let's take a look at them.
Turn 6/7
This combination of mid-speed right-handers is easy to get wrong thanks to elevation change. You are unsighted when you start to turn into 6, so this corner requires a lot of practice. You want to brush the inside kerb of 6 and do the same at 7 before quickly straightening the car so you can brake for 8. It is very easy to run wide on the exit here and lose at least half a second.
Turn 12
The effective final corner of the lap, turn 12 leads you out onto the hill climb to the start/finish straight. It's a left-hander that is slower and tighter than you'd think, and has no safety net to the outside, just green grass waiting to steal your hopes and dreams. Exiting this corner correctly is vital to a good lap time in qualifying and if you get it wrong, you will be a sitting duck all the way down to turn 1.
Setup
The Brazilian Grand Prix requires a very careful balance between straight line speed and responsive handling. You need some aerodynamic grip to get the nose into these tight corners and a good suspension setup to change directions in a flash. You can see our setup here, but remember that your own driving style, controller setup, and level of assists may require some tweaks to maximise your pace.