Stevenson: You need to be ready for anything at Interlagos.

      Aston Martin sporting director Andy Stevenson on the team's preparation for the São Paulo Grand Prix, the specifics of sprint rounds and why he loves the Brazilian weekend so much...

      Question: What is the team working on in the final part of the season?

      Andy Stevenson: A lot is going on, including planning for 2026, but my focus is on the present, because the season is not over yet. There are four Grands Prix to come, two of them with a Saturday sprint – they are all extremely important.

      We are locked in a tight fight in the midfield, where the gap between cars from different teams is just over one-tenth of a second on any race weekend. There are many points still to play for. Our goal is to finish as high as possible in the championship.

      Question: The São Paulo Grand Prix often becomes one of the most unpredictable of the season. What is our approach to this weekend?

      Andy Stevenson: You have to be ready to take any opportunity. We know that because of the changeable weather, races at Interlagos are often unpredictable; you need to get the weekend right while overcoming any difficulties.

      It looks like we'll see heavy rain on Saturday, when we have the sprint and qualifying for the main race. We'll do everything we can.

      When I was at Jordan Grand Prix, the 2003 race became a vivid example of how you can take advantage of chaos. It was stopped because of bad weather and incidents, and a stewarding error led to the victory being given to Kimi Räikkönen and second place to Giancarlo Fisichella from our team. We were sure we had won, but that had to be proven. We took the ECU from Giancarlo's car, brought it to the hearing, and that was enough to have the victory awarded to us.

      But people don't know the whole story. The staff member responsible for the ECU left it in the boot of one of the rental cars we had used that weekend, thinking we'd use it to go to the airport. But we didn't go to the airport; we were celebrating on the podium until we realised the rental car had been taken. It took about six hours to track it down and retrieve the ECU.

      That weekend captures the essence of racing in Brazil. Anything can happen, and you simply have to be there to take advantage of the situation. And we took advantage of it when we had a chance to win.

      As a team, we never gave up. The great thing about our sport is that depending on what happens on race day, you can win. And that's the attitude you need at every race weekend.

      Question: The penultimate weekend of the year coming up has a Saturday sprint. How well does the team handle this format?

      Andy Stevenson: Our work over a sprint weekend is well planned. I believe we handle it well, which is a testament to the high standard of our work.

      It all starts with the preparation and manufacture of parts at the AMR technology campus, from where components are shipped to the various races. It's important to ensure they meet the required specifications for each circuit, which takes significant organisational effort. Then the mechanics have to assemble and prepare the cars in a very short time.

      Weekends with a Saturday sprint are always very intense, but we have processes that ensure we're ready for any turn of events.

      Question: Why are races at Interlagos often so spectacular?

      Andy Stevenson: Beyond the weather, the track layout lends itself well to racing – there are several places where overtaking is possible. The main one is the long run into the first corner, where over the years we've seen countless passes.

      On this circuit you can choose different lines when battling a rival, especially in the technical second sector. We saw that in 2023 when Fernando displayed his superb skill and climbed onto the podium.

      Question: Brazilian fans create an amazing atmosphere at the circuit, what is it like to experience that in person?

      Andy Stevenson: In terms of atmosphere, it's one of the standout races of the season. Sitting on the pit wall, you can tell the cars are approaching by the rising volume of the grandstands.

      I was very lucky to be in Brazil in 1991 when everyone there was cheering for Ayrton Senna. It was one of my first Grands Prix, but I've seen nothing like it since. On the approach we saw a real sea of people. As we drove past, fans applauded, chanted Senna's name, and beat on our team bus. They were just ecstatic.

      I consider myself fortunate to have seen it, and I don't know if we'll ever see anything as magical again. Those memories are exactly why I love this incredible race weekend.