Force India’s Sergio Perez says the memory of Formula One legend Ayrton Senna lives on in his home land of Brazil.
Senna tasted victory twice at Interlagos, which plays host to this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix, claiming the 1991 and 1993 editions with McLaren.
More than 20 years after his untimely death at the 1994 San Marino GP, the late triple world champion continues to inspire the younger generations of fans and drivers.
“You cannot race in Brazil without thinking about Senna,” Perez said. “He is a legend for most of us driving in F1 and his presence is felt everywhere at the circuit.”
Talking about the Interlagos layout, the Mexican added: “The track is very complex to master and has some tricky corners. It’s one of the few anti-clockwise layouts, which makes it harder from a physical point of view, especially for the neck.
“It’s a race where there’s always some external factor playing a big role, whether it’s the weather or something else: races at Interlagos tend to be special.
“It’s a very short lap - it almost feels like driving a kart circuit with a Formula One car! Because the lap is short, you can easily lose a lot of positions with a small mistake.
“You have to be precise in every single corner and aim for the perfect lap. You need a car that is stable at the rear, with no understeer so that you can make the most of all the changes of direction.”
Force India heads to Interlagos in fourth position in the Constructors’ standings, nine points up on Williams.
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