Interlagos is short, and it never lets you rest. The lap runs anti-clockwise, drops down the Senna S, climbs back through the infield and finishes with a long uphill run to the line. It takes not much more than a minute, so every small mistake shows.
So this F1 2020 Brazil setup is built to rotate. Little front wing, a lot of rear wing, and the stiffest rear end the menu allows. It is a time trial setup, saved with 10 kg of fuel.
F1 2020 Brazil setup
| Setting | Front | Rear |
|---|---|---|
| Wing | 2 | 9 |
| Camber | -2.50 | -2.00 |
| Toe | 0.05 | 0.20 |
| Suspension | 1 | 11 |
| Anti-roll bar | 2 | 11 |
| Ride height | 5 | 3 |
| Tyre pressure | 21.0 psi | 19.5 psi |
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Fuel load | 10 kg |
| Differential on throttle | 50% |
| Differential off throttle | 50% |
| Brake pressure | 100% |
| Front brake bias | 50% |
In F1 2020 the wings, suspension, anti-roll bars and ride height all use a scale from 1 to 11. The differential goes from 50%, fully open, to 100%, locked.
This setup was collected for the site in 2022 from a fast time trial lap, like the rest of my F1 2020 setups. Use it as a base and adjust it with the table further down.
The lap on board
Why this setup works at Interlagos
The wings. 2 and 9. Almost the same idea as my Mexico setup, which runs 1 and 9. The rear wing holds the car in Ferradura and through the long corners of the infield. The front stays low, because the last part of the lap is a long uphill run at full throttle and drag costs you all the way.
The differential. 50% on throttle and 50% off. Fully open. Seven of my 22 setups do this. In the slow corners of the infield an open differential lets the car turn, and with a rear wing of 9 there is enough grip to put the power down anyway.
The camber and toe. -2.50 and -2.00, with 0.05 and 0.20 of toe. The values that most of my setups share.
The tyre pressures. 21.0 psi front and 19.5 psi rear, the lowest the menu allows.
Everything at the rear is at 11
This is the stiffest rear end in my list. Rear springs 11 and rear anti-roll bar 11. Nine setups run the springs at 11 and four run the bar at 11, but only China and Brazil have both.
The front is the opposite. Springs 1, bar 2. A soft front and a hard rear move the grip to the front tyres, and that is what makes a car with a front wing of 2 turn in the infield.
Ride height is 5 at the front and 3 at the rear. The front is higher than the rear, and that only happens on three of my setups: Britain, USA and Brazil. Interlagos is bumpy and you use the kerbs in the Senna S, so the front gets the room.
Be honest with yourself about this rear. It is fast, and it is not easy. If the car snaps in the Senna S or out of Juncao, take the rear bar down first. Two clicks change the car a lot.
The brakes
Brake pressure 100%, front bias 50%. Every setup in my F1 2020 database runs 100% pressure.
There are two real stops. Turn 1, where the track falls away as you turn, and Descida do Lago at the end of the back straight, which is also downhill. Downhill braking unloads the rear, so do the hard part in a straight line. If the fronts lock into turn 1, go to 95%.
What to change
One change at a time, three laps, then decide.
| Problem | Change | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Understeer in Ferradura | Front wing 2 to 4 | More front downforce in the long fast right |
| Slow on the climb to the line | Rear wing 9 to 7 | Less drag, with a looser rear in the infield |
| The rear snaps in the Senna S | Rear anti-roll bar 11 to 9 | A softer rear bar calms the change of direction |
| Wheelspin out of Juncao | Rear suspension 11 to 9 | Softer rear springs give the rear tyres more grip |
| The rear moves under braking downhill | Off throttle differential 50% to 55% | More lock steadies the rear on entry |
| The car is nervous over the bumps | Rear ride height 3 to 4 | More room at the rear, and a calmer car |
| Front tyres lock into turn 1 | Brake pressure 100% to 95% | Less peak pressure, easier to hold at the limit |
For a race
Before a 25% or 50% race I would change this:
- Front wing 2 to 3. Less sliding at the front through the middle sector, so the tyres last.
- Rear anti-roll bar 11 to 9. The first thing I would give up. A rear this stiff eats its tyres.
- Rear suspension 11 to 10. A little more traction out of Juncao, lap after lap.
- Brake pressure 100% to 95%. A heavy car locks more easily on the downhill stops.
- Fuel. The 10 kg is a time trial number. In a race the game sets the load for the distance.
On a pad, I would run the rear bar at 8, the rear springs at 9 and around 90% brake pressure.
F1 2020 manages the ERS for you and gives you an overtake button. Use it from the exit of Juncao to the line. Turn 1 is the best passing place, and the end of the back straight is the second.
Where the lap time is at Interlagos
- The Senna S. Downhill, left then right. Brake a little earlier than you want to and get the car to the first apex. The second part sets your speed for the whole back straight.
- Curva do Sol. Flat. Just keep the car to the inside and let it run.
- Descida do Lago. A hard stop, downhill, then two lefts. The first one is the slow one. Open the second and use the exit.
- Ferradura. A long, fast right that climbs. Turn in once and hold it. Correcting the wheel in the middle costs speed.
- Laranjinha and Pinheirinho. Slower, and they come one after the other. Keep the car tidy and set up for what is next.
- Bico de Pato. The slowest corner of the lap. Rotate the car early and wait for the throttle.
- Mergulho. A fast left that drops away. Trust the rear wing.
- Juncao. The most important corner. Third gear left, uphill, and the throttle stays down from there to turn 1. Late apex, and be clean on the power with this rear.
If you take one thing from this page: give up the entry to Juncao for the exit. You are at full throttle for a long time after it, and nothing else on the lap pays back as much.
Interlagos in 2020
The 2020 cars never raced at Interlagos. The Brazilian Grand Prix was formally cancelled in July 2020, together with Canada, Mexico City and the United States. Only 17 of the 22 planned races were run that year, so the game is the only place where you can drive these cars here.
The last race before that was on 17 November 2019. Max Verstappen took pole in 1:07.508 and won, passing Lewis Hamilton twice at turn 1. The two Ferraris touched on the back straight and both retired. Pierre Gasly was second and Carlos Sainz was classified third. It was the first podium for both of them, and the first for McLaren since 2014.
The lap is 4.309 km with 15 corners, and the real race is 71 laps.
More F1 2020 setups
All 22 tracks are on the F1 2020 setups page. The track before Interlagos in the game's calendar is Mexico City, with my F1 2020 Mexico setup, and the last one is Yas Marina, with my F1 2020 Abu Dhabi setup.
For the same track in other games, here are my F1 2019 Brazil setup, my F1 2018 Brazil setup, my F1 2021 Brazil setup and my F1 25 Brazil setup. The values do not carry over from one game to the next.
FAQ
What is the best F1 2020 setup for Brazil?
Front wing 2, rear wing 9, differential 50% on and off throttle, suspension 1 and 11, anti-roll bars 2 and 11, ride height 5 and 3, brake pressure 100% with 50% front bias, and tyres at 21.0 and 19.5 psi.
What wing levels should I run at Interlagos in F1 2020?
2 at the front and 9 at the rear for time trial. For a race I would run 3 and 9.
Why is the rear so stiff?
To make the car rotate with very little front wing. Rear springs and rear bar are both at 11. If the car is too nervous for you, take the rear bar down to 9 first.
Can I use this Brazil setup in a race?
Yes. I would go to front wing 3, rear bar 9, rear springs 10 and brake pressure 95%.
Does this setup work with a controller?
Yes, with a softer rear. I would run the rear bar at 8, the rear springs at 9 and around 90% brake pressure.
Was there a Brazilian Grand Prix in 2020?
No. It was cancelled in July 2020. The last race before that was in 2019, and Max Verstappen won it from pole.
How long is Interlagos in F1 2020?
4.309 km with 15 corners. The real race is 71 laps.