Circuito dos Cristais
Circuito dos Cristais at a glance
- Location
- Curvelo, Minas Gerais
- Type
- road course & oval
- Length
- 4.4 km (2.734 mi)
- Turns
- 17
- Direction
- clockwise
- Banking
- 16° on the oval; road course unbanked
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 2016
Track map and layout
Originally called the Autódromo de Curvelo and built to FIA Grade 2 and FIM Grade A standards, this is one of Brazil's newest permanent circuits, about 150 km north of Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais. Ground broke in 2013 and the full 4.400 km (2.734 mi), 17-turn road course opened in September 2016; a shorter 3.330 km, 16-turn configuration has been used from 2017 onward for most national series. A dedicated 1.250 km, two-turn oval with 16° banking was added in 2024, making Curvelo Brazil's only circuit with a purpose-built operational oval alongside a road course, and letting it host NASCAR Brasil-style ovals racing as well as conventional road-course events.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Full road course | 4.40 km | 4.400 km, 17 turns, used from 2016 |
| Short road course | 3.33 km | 3.330 km, 16 turns, the standard Stock Car/TCR configuration since 2017 |
| Oval | 1.25 km | 1.250 km, 2 turns, 16° banking, added in 2024 |
Events and race weekends
Stock Car Brasil made its Minas Gerais debut here on 20 November 2016, but Curvelo dropped off the Stock Car calendar after the 2017 season. The circuit stayed busy with Brasileiro de Marcas and Mercedes-Benz Challenge events in the interim, and from 2024-2025 it re-emerged as a hub for national motorsport: Copa Truck and NASCAR Brasil Series joined that year, the new oval hosted its first races, and Stock Car Pro Series returned to Curvelo in 2025 after an eight-year gap, followed by TCR South America and TCR Brazil rounds. As of September 2026 the circuit is back on the Stock Car calendar with a confirmed round.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Car Pro Series round | Stock Car Pro Series | September | returned to the calendar in 2025 after an eight-year absence |
| Copa Truck round | Copa Truck | variable | |
| TCR South America / TCR Brazil round | TCR | variable |
Getting there and parking
Curvelo sits roughly 150 km (95 miles) north of Belo Horizonte, a drive of about two and a half hours on the BR-135/BR-040 highway network. Belo Horizonte's Tancredo Neves International Airport is the nearest major gateway for fly-in visitors, with a smaller regional airport at Belo Horizonte's Pampulha also usable. There is no rail or scheduled bus service running directly to the circuit; a hire car or private transfer from Belo Horizonte is the practical option.
- Tancredo Neves International Airport (Belo Horizonte/Confins) (CNF) · about 150 min drive
Plan on the roughly 2.5-hour drive from Belo Horizonte as part of the trip; there is no realistic public-transport alternative.
Hotels and camping near Circuito dos Cristais
Curvelo itself is a small city with a limited hotel supply that can sell out on race weekends, so many race-goers instead base themselves in Belo Horizonte, about two and a half hours away, and make the circuit a day trip. There is no established trackside camping or RV culture at this venue.
Where to look
Curvelo town centre (book early for race weekends) or Belo Horizonte, about 150 km away, for a wider range of hotels.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
No public track-day or ride-along program is confirmed for Circuito dos Cristais; it operates primarily as a national-series competition venue for Stock Car, TCR, Copa Truck and NASCAR Brasil rather than as a public driving-experience destination.
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Car (full road course) | 1:51.941 | Marcos Gomes | Peugeot 408 Stock Car | 2016 |
| Short road course | 1:20.772 | Guilherme Salas | Chevrolet Tracker | 2026 |
| Oval | 0:29.496 | Cacá Bueno | Chevrolet Camaro NASCAR Brasil | 2025 |
Spectator guide
As a relatively new circuit built to FIA/FIM standards, facilities are modern, though this remains a smaller regional venue by Brazilian standards rather than one of the country's flagship spectator destinations.
Weather
- Apr-Sep: Minas Gerais's dry season, mild and sunny, highs around 26-28°C (79-82°F)
- Oct-Mar: wet season with afternoon storms, highs around 29-31°C (84-88°F)
History of Circuito dos Cristais
Breaking ground in Minas Gerais
Ground broke on the Autódromo de Curvelo, later renamed Circuito dos Cristais, in 2013, in a city about 150 km north of Belo Horizonte better known for its cave systems and quartz-crystal deposits, which inspired the circuit's eventual name. Built to FIA Grade 2 and FIM Grade A homologation standards, the full 4.400 km, 17-turn road course opened in September 2016.
An early Stock Car debut, then a gap
The circuit wasted no time attracting Brazil's top domestic series: Stock Car Brasil raced there for the first time on 20 November 2016, with Felipe Fraga winning the inaugural race, giving Minas Gerais its own round on the national calendar. A shorter 3.330 km, 16-turn configuration was adopted from 2017. Despite the strong start, Curvelo fell off the Stock Car calendar after 2017, and the following years saw the circuit rely on Brasileiro de Marcas, the Mercedes-Benz Challenge and other domestic categories to stay active.
Expansion and a national comeback
A significant investment from 2024 added a dedicated 1.250 km oval with 16° banking, making Circuito dos Cristais the only Brazilian circuit combining a full road course with a purpose-built operational oval, and opening the door to NASCAR Brasil Series ovals racing. That same push brought Copa Truck to the venue, and in 2025 Stock Car Pro Series returned to Curvelo after an eight-year absence, joined by TCR South America and TCR Brazil. By September 2026 the circuit marked ten years since its Stock Car debut with a full weekend of racing across three categories, cementing its return as an active stop on Brazil's national motorsport calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Is Circuito dos Cristais still active?+
Yes. After Stock Car Brasil dropped the venue from its calendar following the 2017 season, the circuit returned to national prominence from 2024-2025 with a new oval, Copa Truck, NASCAR Brasil Series, and the return of Stock Car and TCR racing.
How long is the circuit?+
The full road course is 4.400 km (2.734 mi) with 17 turns; a shorter 3.330 km, 16-turn configuration is used for most national-series racing, and a separate 1.250 km oval was added in 2024.
Why is it called Circuito dos Cristais?+
The name references Curvelo's regional quartz-crystal deposits and cave systems; the venue was originally known as the Autódromo de Curvelo.
How far is the circuit from Belo Horizonte?+
About 150 km (95 miles), roughly a two-and-a-half-hour drive, and the usual base for visitors who don't stay in Curvelo itself.
Does Circuito dos Cristais have an oval?+
Yes, a 1.250 km, two-turn oval with 16° banking was added in 2024, making it the only Brazilian circuit to pair a full road course with a purpose-built operational oval.
Other tracks nearby
- Ribeirão Preto Street Circuit · 436 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Circuito Cacá Bueno (Galeão) · 461 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Autódromo Velo Città · 463 km · road course
- Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet (Jacarepaguá) · 475 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet, Brasília · 501 km · road course
- Autódromo Internacional Ayrton Senna (Goiânia) · 557 km · road course
Facts checked against 3 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.