Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet, Brasília

Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet, Brasília at a glance

Location

Brasília, Distrito Federal

Type

road course

Length

5.384 km (3.345 mi)

Turns

16

Direction

counter-clockwise

Surface

asphalt

Opened

1974

Owner

Banco de Brasília (BRB)

Address

SMHA, Setor de Mansões, Lago Sul

Track map and layout

The Brasília circuit sits in the Lago Sul district on the shore of Lake Paranoá, laid out with three main straights and a mix of medium and high-speed corners. Its current 16-turn, 5.384 km (3.345 mi) principal configuration is the result of a 2024-2025 reprofiling that widened run-off areas, redid the drainage and grading, and fitted triple-layer metal barriers, while keeping the bones of the original 1974 layout. Earlier eras of the track used a longer 5.476 km full circuit with 12 corners, and separate short circuits and a motorcycle loop have also existed in the infield over the decades.

Configurations

Events and race weekends

Brasília hosted a non-championship Formula 1 race in 1974 and, across the decades, national touring car and Stock Car Brasil rounds. The circuit closed in 2014 after safety concerns, and plans to bring MotoGP and later an IndyCar season-opener both collapsed, leaving the track shuttered for almost twelve years. Following a R$100 million-plus renovation by new owner Banco de Brasília (BRB), the circuit reopened on 27-29 November 2025 with a round of the Stock Car Pro Series, which is expected to return as part of the national calendar going forward.

Getting there and parking

The circuit is in Lago Sul, on the shore of Lake Paranoá roughly 15-20 minutes from central Brasília by car. Brasília International Airport (Juscelino Kubitschek), the capital's main gateway, is about 30-40 minutes away depending on traffic. Public transport does not run directly to the circuit; visitors rely on taxis, rideshare apps or a hire car, as Brasília's urban layout is built around road travel.

• Brasília International Airport (Juscelino Kubitschek) (BSB) · about 35 min drive

Book a taxi or rideshare in advance for event days, since Brasília's superblock street layout and lack of a direct transit line to Lago Sul make the circuit hard to reach without one.

Hotels and camping near Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet, Brasília

Most visitors stay in the Asa Sul or Asa Norte hotel districts of Brasília's Plano Piloto, both a short drive from Lago Sul and well served by restaurants and the city's main sights. There is no infield camping or trackside RV culture at this circuit; overnight visitors use city hotels rather than staying on site.

Where to look

Asa Sul and Asa Norte (central Brasília hotel zones), roughly 15-25 minutes from the circuit by car.

Track days, driving experiences and lap records

There is no established public track-day or ride-along program at the Brasília circuit; it functions as a national motorsport venue rather than a public driving destination, and reopened only in November 2025 after a long closure. Local car clubs and the circuit's new operator may run occasional track-experience or car-club days, but nothing was confirmed as a fixed offering at the time of writing.

Lap records

Spectator guide

The circuit's grandstands and facilities were rebuilt as part of the 2024-2025 renovation ahead of its November 2025 reopening, so amenities are newer than the venue's long closure might suggest. Detailed public seating and bag-policy information had not been widely published as of this guide's research; check the promoter's channels ahead of any event.

Weather

• May-Sep: Brasília's dry season, sunny days and low humidity, highs around 26-28°C (79-82°F)
• Nov-Mar: wet season with frequent afternoon storms, highs around 27-29°C (81-84°F)

History of Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet, Brasília

A capital-city circuit from the modernist era

The Autódromo Internacional de Brasília, originally called the Autódromo Emílio Médici, opened on 3 February 1974, just fourteen years after Brasília itself was inaugurated as Brazil's planned capital. Built on the shore of Lake Paranoá in the Lago Sul district, it hosted a non-championship Formula 1 race that same year and went on to become one of the country's regular touring-car and Stock Car venues through the 1980s and 1990s.

Piquet ownership and a long decline

Three-time world champion Nelson Piquet took ownership of the circuit in the mid-1990s and carried out safety upgrades, and the track continued to carry his name for years afterward. Ambitions grew in the 2010s: organisers pursued Formula 1, then MotoGP, then an IndyCar season-opener, in each case hoping a major international date would justify a full rebuild. None of it came off. The MotoGP round scheduled for 2014 collapsed over funding, and a newly elected district government cancelled the planned 2015 IndyCar opener as a misuse of public money. The circuit closed in 2014 and sat unused, its facilities deteriorating, for the best part of twelve years.

Reopening under new ownership

Banco de Brasília (BRB), the Federal District's public bank, took over the site and financed a renovation exceeding R$100 million, repaving the track, rebuilding drainage and run-off areas, and fitting modern FIA/FIM-certified barriers while preserving the 5.384 km, 16-turn shape of the layout. The circuit reopened on 27-29 November 2025 with a round of the Stock Car Pro Series, marking Brasília's return to Brazil's national motorsport calendar after more than a decade dark.

Frequently asked questions

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