Autódromo Internacional de Santa Cruz do Sul
Autódromo Internacional de Santa Cruz do Sul at a glance
- Location
- Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 3.531 km (2.194 mi)
- Turns
- 14
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 2005
- Owner
- Prefeitura de Santa Cruz do Sul (municipal government)
Track map and layout
Opened in June 2005, the Autódromo Internacional de Santa Cruz do Sul is a 14-corner road course of 3.531 km (2.194 miles) in Rio Grande do Sul, mixing high, medium and low-speed turns including a fast esses section and a horseshoe-shaped Ferradura corner. It was built to a modern FIA-recognised standard and became one of southern Brazil's principal national-series venues, though the facility fell into a state of neglect by early 2025 before undergoing a resurfacing and refurbishment project that saw it reopen for racing in September 2025.
Named corners and sections
- Esse. A flowing high-speed esses sequence, one of the circuit's signature sections.
- Ferradura. A horseshoe-shaped, lower-speed corner in the lap's technical portion.
Events and race weekends
Santa Cruz do Sul has hosted Stock Car Brasil across multiple spells since 2005, most recently returning to the calendar for 2026 after last appearing in 2022, alongside NASCAR Brasil Series, Copa Truck and Turismo Nacional BR. The circuit has also hosted Fórmula Truck, F3 Sul-Americana and endurance racing through the Império Endurance Brasil series. A period of decline saw the venue fall into disrepair by early 2025, but a resurfacing and refurbishment programme brought it back into full use, marked by a Fórmula Truck event in September 2025 celebrating the reopening.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Car Pro Series (Santa Cruz do Sul round) | Stock Car Pro Series | Winter (mid-year) | returned to the calendar for 2026 after last running there in 2022 |
| Copa Truck | Truck racing | Varies | |
| Império Endurance Brasil | Endurance racing | Varies | regular visitor since 2019/2021 |
Getting there and parking
Santa Cruz do Sul is a mid-sized city in the Rio Grande do Sul interior, roughly 150 km from the state capital Porto Alegre. Most visitors drive from Porto Alegre, which has the nearest major airport; there is no dedicated public transport route to the circuit itself.
- Salgado Filho International Airport (Porto Alegre) (POA) · about 120 min drive
Parking
On-site parking is available for race weekends.
Hotels and camping near Autódromo Internacional de Santa Cruz do Sul
Santa Cruz do Sul has a modest but adequate hotel selection in its town centre for visiting fans and teams; those wanting a wider choice of accommodation, restaurants and flight connections typically base themselves in Porto Alegre and drive down for race day.
Where to look
Central Santa Cruz do Sul for proximity to the circuit; Porto Alegre for a much wider range of hotels and flight connections.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Outside its national-series race weekends, the circuit is used for regional club racing and driver-training days organised through the Santa Cruz do Sul municipal government; there is no single dedicated commercial track-day operator to name.
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formula 3 | 1:10.468 | Pedro Piquet | Formula 3 car | 2015 |
Spectator guide
As a regional national-series venue, Santa Cruz do Sul offers grandstand viewing along the main straight plus general admission areas around the rest of the circuit, on a smaller scale than Brazil's flagship tracks.
Seating
Grandstands line the start-finish straight; general admission areas cover the remaining corners including the Esse and Ferradura sections.
Weather
- Winter (Jun-Aug, Stock Car): Rio Grande do Sul's winter can be cold for Brazil, with occasional cold fronts and rain
History of Autódromo Internacional de Santa Cruz do Sul
A modern circuit for Rio Grande do Sul
The Autódromo Internacional de Santa Cruz do Sul opened on 12 June 2005, built to a modern, FIA-recognised standard as a new home for national motorsport in Rio Grande do Sul. Its 14-corner, 3.531 km layout, mixing fast esses with tighter technical corners like the Ferradura, quickly made it a regular stop for Stock Car Brasil, Fórmula Truck and South American Formula 3, and it built a reputation as one of the safer and better-equipped circuits in the country.
Decline and a return to neglect
Despite its strong start, the circuit's fortunes varied over the following two decades as Brazilian national series shuffled their calendars, with Stock Car appearing at Santa Cruz across several separate spells rather than every year. By early 2025 the facility had fallen into a serious state of disrepair, described locally as a scenario of near-total abandonment, with the track surface and infrastructure both badly affected by years of insufficient maintenance.
Renovation and a 2026 comeback
A resurfacing and refurbishment programme through 2025 brought the circuit back into a usable, competitive state, with a Fórmula Truck event in September 2025 marking its official reopening. The turnaround culminated in Stock Car Pro Series returning to Santa Cruz do Sul for the 2026 season, its first appearance there since 2022, alongside NASCAR Brasil Series, Copa Truck and Turismo Nacional BR, restoring the circuit's place as one of southern Brazil's principal racing venues.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Santa Cruz do Sul circuit open in 2026?+
Yes. After falling into disrepair and undergoing a resurfacing and refurbishment programme through 2025, the circuit reopened and returned to the Stock Car Pro Series calendar for 2026, its first Stock Car appearance since 2022.
How long is the Santa Cruz do Sul circuit?+
The circuit is 3.531 km (2.194 miles) long with 14 corners.
When did the circuit open?+
It opened on 12 June 2005.
What racing has taken place at Santa Cruz do Sul?+
Stock Car Brasil across several spells since 2005, Fórmula Truck, Copa Truck, South American Formula 3 and Império Endurance Brasil endurance racing.
How do you get to the circuit?+
Most visitors drive from Porto Alegre, roughly 150 km and about two hours away, which has the nearest major airport; there is no dedicated public transit route to the circuit.
Other tracks nearby
- Velopark (Autódromo FuelTech Velopark) · 107 km · road course
- Autódromo Internacional de Tarumã · 139 km · road course
- Autódromo Eduardo P. Cabrera · 326 km · road course
- Autódromo Rosamonte · 430 km · road course
- Autódromo Internacional de Cascavel (Zilmar Beux) · 544 km · road course
- Autódromo Internacional de Curitiba · 580 km · historic circuit (defunct)
Facts checked against 3 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.