São Paulo Street Circuit (Anhembi)
São Paulo Street Circuit (Anhembi) at a glance
- Location
- São Paulo, São Paulo
- Type
- street circuit
- Length
- 2.933 km (1.823 mi)
- Turns
- 11
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt (public roads)
- Opened
- 2010
- Owner
- City of São Paulo (public roads around the Anhembi Sambadrome)
- Capacity
- 30,000
- Address
- Anhembi Sambadrome, Santana
Track map and layout
This temporary circuit is laid out on public roads around the Anhembi Sambadrome, São Paulo's Carnival parade venue in the Santana district. Designed by IndyCar's Tony Cotman for the original 2010 IndyCar era, the layout ran 4.081 km with 11 turns; when it was revived in 2023 for Formula E, the course was reworked to a tighter 2.933 km (1.823 mi) while keeping the same 11-turn count and FIA Grade 3E homologation. Built around the sambadrome's permanent grandstand structures, it offers around 30,000 permanent seats, unusually high for a street circuit.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Formula E layout (2023-present) | 2.93 km | 2.933 km, 11 turns, current configuration |
| IndyCar layout (2010-2013) | 4.08 km | 4.081 km, 11 turns, used for the São Paulo Indy 300 |
Events and race weekends
The circuit's first life was as the São Paulo Indy 300, run every year from 2010 to 2013 as the IndyCar Series' push to race outside the United States; Will Power won the first three editions before James Hinchcliffe took the final one in 2013. The venue then sat unused for motorsport for a decade before Formula E signed a five-year deal in April 2022 and returned racing to Anhembi from March 2023, with the São Paulo E-Prix now a fixture on the all-electric series' calendar.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| São Paulo E-Prix | Formula E | December (2025 edition); March in 2027 | run since 2023 under a five-year contract |
Getting there and parking
The Anhembi Sambadrome sits in São Paulo's Santana district in the city's north zone, close to the Tietê river and well connected to the wider city. São Paulo's Guarulhos International Airport, the main international gateway, is roughly 30-40 minutes away by car depending on traffic; the closer Congonhas domestic airport is nearer the city centre but a similar drive time to Anhembi. The Portuguesa-Tietê metro station on Line 1 (Blue) is within walking distance of the venue for those using public transport.
- São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) · about 35 min drive
- São Paulo/Congonhas Airport (CGH) · about 30 min drive
Parking
Limited on-site and street parking near the sambadrome; the Portuguesa-Tietê metro station is generally the more practical option on event days.
Take the Blue Line metro to Portuguesa-Tietê to avoid event-day traffic around the sambadrome.
Hotels and camping near São Paulo Street Circuit (Anhembi)
Most visitors stay in central São Paulo, particularly around Paulista Avenue, Jardins or the Vila Madalena/Pinheiros area, all a metro ride or short drive from Anhembi. There is no camping or trackside accommodation at this urban circuit; it is a big-city street race rather than a destination venue.
Where to look
Paulista Avenue, Jardins, Itaim Bibi and Vila Madalena/Pinheiros, São Paulo's main hotel districts, all within a metro ride or short drive of Anhembi.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
There is no public track-day or ride-along program; the circuit exists only as temporary public roads closed for the annual Formula E race weekend and reopened to normal traffic the rest of the year.
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formula E | 1:12.219 | David Beckmann | Porsche 99X Electric | 2024 |
| IndyCar (2010-2013 layout) | 1:20.4364 | Tony Kanaan | Dallara DW12 | 2013 |
Spectator guide
The Anhembi Sambadrome's permanent grandstands give the circuit around 30,000 seats, unusually generous for a street race, with most offering elevated views over multiple corners since they were built for Carnival parade-watching rather than motorsport.
Seating
Permanent sambadrome grandstands lining the main straight and several corners, offering high, largely unobstructed sightlines.
Best places to watch
The sambadrome's main grandstand tiers give the widest view of the lap, taking in the start/finish straight and the corners immediately either side of it.
Weather
- Mar: late São Paulo summer/early autumn, warm and occasionally wet, highs around 25-28°C (77-82°F)
History of São Paulo Street Circuit (Anhembi)
Built for Carnival, borrowed for racing
The Anhembi Sambadrome, permanent home of São Paulo's Carnival parades, was reworked into a temporary street circuit in 2009 after the IndyCar Series struck a deal to bring a race to Brazil's largest city. Designed by IndyCar vice president Tony Cotman, the 4.081 km, 11-turn course wound through the streets around the sambadrome, opening on 14 March 2010 for the inaugural São Paulo Indy 300.
A bumpy IndyCar debut
That first race made headlines for the wrong reasons: cement dust and a gripless surface forced qualifying to be postponed to race day, and dust kicked up at the start triggered a multi-car pile-up. Despite the rocky start, the race became an annual fixture, with Penske's Will Power dominating, winning the first three editions from 2010 to 2012, before James Hinchcliffe took the final running in 2013. IndyCar's Brazilian venture ended after that season as the series refocused its calendar elsewhere.
A decade dark, then Formula E
Anhembi sat unused for top-level motorsport for nearly ten years after IndyCar departed. That changed in April 2022, when Formula E signed a five-year agreement to race in São Paulo, reworking the layout to a tighter 2.933 km, 11-turn course better suited to electric race cars and earning FIA Grade 3E homologation. The São Paulo E-Prix debuted in March 2023 and has run every year since, with Mitch Evans winning twice, giving the sambadrome's streets a second life as one of South America's few regular international motorsport dates.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Anhembi street circuit still used for racing?+
Yes, but for a different series than before: after hosting IndyCar's São Paulo Indy 300 from 2010 to 2013, the venue was reworked and reopened for Formula E's São Paulo E-Prix from 2023, and continues to host that race.
How long is the circuit?+
The current Formula E layout is 2.933 km (1.823 miles) with 11 turns; the earlier IndyCar-era course, used from 2010 to 2013, was longer at 4.081 km (2.536 miles), also with 11 turns.
Did IndyCar ever race at Anhembi?+
Yes, from 2010 to 2013, as the São Paulo Indy 300. Will Power won the first three editions and James Hinchcliffe won the final one before the race left the calendar.
What is the Anhembi Sambadrome usually used for?+
It is São Paulo's permanent Carnival parade venue; its grandstands and surrounding streets are converted into a temporary racing circuit only for race weekends.
How do I get to the circuit without a car?+
The Portuguesa-Tietê metro station on São Paulo's Blue Line (Line 1) is within walking distance of the sambadrome and the recommended way to avoid event-day traffic.
Other tracks nearby
- Autódromo José Carlos Pace (Interlagos) · 21 km · road course
- Autódromo Velo Città · 138 km · road course
- Ribeirão Preto Street Circuit · 294 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Autódromo Internacional de Curitiba · 335 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet (Jacarepaguá) · 338 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Circuito Cacá Bueno (Galeão) · 356 km · historic circuit (defunct)
Facts checked against 3 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.