Formula 1 teams will have extra security on hand in an effort to avoid a repeat of the various attempted robberies which marred last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix.
Several teams were attacked as they travelled to and from the Interlagos circuit and a post-race Pirelli tyre test was cancelled over concerns which even led to questions over the future of the event in Sao Paulo.
Armed police will now line the route team personnel take while teams have also taken extra precautions at what is a tense time for Brazil following recent elections.
“We’ve worked with the prosecutors and the local authorities, the police, and apparently they’ll have a much larger presence,” Force India team boss Otmar Szafnauer explained.
“They will be aware of our time coming and going, so the presence (of the police) will be there at the appropriate times.”
Security problems are not new at Interlagos with Jenson Button ambushed by thieves in 2010 as well as previous occasions of items being stolen from team garages.
“You hear about it happening over the years but until you are actually involved you don’t know how it feels,” said Button at the time.
“It’s a pretty scary situation because initially, you don’t believe it’s happening.”