Interlagos at your doorstep: Fernando Barrichello’s Hometown Tour

31 March 2026

AIX Racing’s Fernando Barrichello had the unique experience of growing up with motorsport royalty on his doorstep as he revealed while giving us a tour of his hometown.

The Sao Paulo native took us back to his childhood, growing up at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, family lunches, karting and returning home for the winter.

GROWING UP AT INTERLAGOS

“So I was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and I was raised there until I was 10.

“I love honouring the Brazilian colours, especially after seeing my dad represent Brazil and how much he really fought to honour the flag.

“I was raised at Interlagos. So my great grandma, my dad's grandma, she lived on the inside of the circuit, right in front of T1. My dad was raised there and we would go there to have lunch sometimes, we would go there to eat hamburgers a lot.

“She would do these little cakes. They are small and there's no name for it, but it's like a churro, it's called Bolinho de Churro, which the translation would be like rain cake.

Barrichello talked about growing up in Sao Paulo with his family

“It’s with sugar and cinnamon and it's amazing. So we would go there to a very small house, they were very humble from where they came from.

“So it was amazing, and we would go there, and from there, when you go out of the house, you're on the inside of the track.”

REPRESENTING BRAZIL

“I'm a big fan of where I'm from, and I really dream of representing the country on the big stages. Those little dreams that you have as a kid, you always think everything's possible.

“That's a really amazing feeling and I try to sometimes look back and get that feeling more and more. I think sometimes we get in the headspace of being an adult and then you forget that you have dreams.

“You are not looking at life sometimes as more of a kid, and I feel like sometimes I struggle with that. It’s just I work so hard for this, and when it's not good, maybe I forget to have fun. I really try to inspire myself to have that type of feeling when I was there.

The Brazilian expressed how much pride he takes in representing his country

“Whenever we can, we we're always around the track, and we grew up karting there at the Interlagos karting track, which is on inside of the race circuit. So it's amazing.

“I was able to get my first ever win in cars at Interlagos. It was really amazing. A dream come true.”

GOING HOME OVER THE WINTER

“Now, in what would be the winter break for you guys, which for us is the summer break, I was able to go back home. I am very blessed to be able to do that.

“I hadn't seen my mom in six months and my whole family. So it was really, really nice to be able to go back and just be with everyone. I actually raced at Interlagos with the Porsches there as a duo with my dad.

“It was very, very special. It's not possible to go back home a lot, usually I go only two times a year because of just work and everything. But whenever I do go there, I really enjoy it because it's a very special time.

“It’s just a complete honour to be racing with my dad and whenever we are close, like in terms of lap time, it's a big honour to be honest.”

Barrichello revealed he carries a picture of his family on the back of his helmet

CARRYING HIS FAMILY WITH HIM

“I have a picture of my family at the back of my helmet. I've always had it. So I always have their initials there, which forms a word in Portuguese. There are multiple translations in Portuguese - it could be like a human being, to be or to be better.

“The initials of my family form that word. So I have that written on my helmet as well. I actually bring a lot of things to be honest.

“I bring the collars from my dogs that passed away recently, they are always in my bag, it’s there right now. So I always bring it with me and I have a bunch of things from back home.

“Unfortunately, sometimes I go a long time without being able to go back. So, I mean, thankfully, nowadays we have the phone. So that really helps.

“But I really try and bring them with me. I always tell them that they're there. They're there with me through the tough times and then to celebrate the really good times as well.”