MP Motorsport driver Caio Collet takes us on a trip around São Paulo in Brazil, where he grew up. We look at places to visit, the sites to see, and of course, the motor racing scene.

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?

“São Paulo is my hometown and it’s a place that I think has a mixture of everything. It has a population of around 12 million, so a lot of people and a lot of traffic... That also means that you have a lot of different cultures as well, which is really nice.

“It’s the type of place where you are always busy, you never stop doing something, which is really, really nice. São Paulo is one of the places that I most enjoy being in. I was born there and moved away when I was around 15-years-old, in 2018 I believe.

“All of my friends and family are from São Paulo, so my roots are there, it is where I grew up, where I went to school, and I have a lot of good memories there. It is the place that I want to go to and live when I have a break from racing.

“I cannot live there permanently because I need to be in Europe, and I accept that, I am used to it, but whenever I can, I like to go back to São Paulo because it is an amazing place to be.”

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WHERE SHOULD TOURISTS VISIT?

“São Paulo is a really nice city, but I would not say that it is the most beautiful city in Brazil. You have Rio de Janeiro, for example, and a lot of other cities with some amazing sites. There are a few green areas in São Paulo, two or three parks, but it is mostly buildings and homes.

“São Paulo is a place where you can get to know a lot of different people, and do a lot of different things. To go on a day out or evening out in Sao Paolo is really nice and you get to meet a lot of different people. For me, this is one of the reasons why São Paulo is so unique.”

WHERE SHOULD PEOPLE EAT AND DRINK?

“Everywhere is good! We have the Brazilian culture, but we also have Italian and Japanese – there are a lot of different foods. It’s one of the best places that you can go for food.”

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MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHERE CAN WE GO KARTING?

“There are three places in São Paulo, two that I go to. There is the karting track at Interlagos, next to the circuit, and there is another one that is a little different and a bit closer to my house. The one close to my house is the one where I started, where I first tried a go-kart. It is where I practised and where my first race was there.

“I really like the track - I know everyone there. When I go back to Sao Paolo, I still go sometimes, I really enjoy driving there. The karting level when I was driving in Brazil was really, really high. I raced with the likes of (Gianluca) Petecof and other drivers who are now in Europe as well. When I left Brazil, I finished second in my first race in a European championship, and I was fighting for the win.”