David Coulthard's Brazilian GP preview

Interlagos. Just saying the word conjures up images of so many triumphs and tragedies, and the real Brazilian gladiators of Formula 1 like Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet and Emerson Fittipaldi basking in the adoration of their home crowd. And while it's not quite up there with Spa and Suzuka as the drivers' favourite tracks, you don't exactly hear many complaints either.

The circuit itself might not quite be the challenge that it was back in the 1970s, but it's still a classic, and has produced some absolute thrillers; Kimi Raikkonen's title in 2007, Jenson Button's charge to the championship two years ago, and the unforgettable last corner pass by Lewis Hamilton on Timo Glock that made him - and not Felipe Massa - world champion in the intervening season. And that's only going back a couple of years.

I haven't even mentioned the atmosphere yet. And that's something to behold. So many of these new tracks now have amazing facilities, but there's just something lacking in their personality. In Brazil you just know you won't go even a day without one of the toilet blocks overflowing and most of the track needs a lick of paint or two, but you don't notice any of it really, and what you do notice, you certainly don't mind, because the personality of the place is amazing.