Ayrton Senna Kartdrome José Cordeiro/SPTuris The City of São Paulo intends to transfer the management of the Ayrton Senna Kartódromo, in the South Zone of the capital, to the private sector for a period of 15 years. The concession proposal, put up for public consultation this Wednesday (10), foresees that the winning company will assume the operation, maintenance and right to economic exploration of the space, with the obligation to carry out extensive renovations at the sports complex neighboring the Interlagos Race Track. The main objective of the partnership proposed by the Ricardo Nunes (MDB) management is to enable the requalification of the existing infrastructure so that the circuit meets the standards of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and can host races in the main competitions in the category (read more below). The proposal also authorizes the exploration of naming rights, allowing the kart track to receive the brand of a private sponsor, as long as the official name "Ayrton Senna" is preserved – in this case, 20% of the revenue must be passed on to the municipality. The contract also allows the use of spaces for advertising, corporate events and commercial filming. The company will be chosen through bidding, based on the highest initial grant value to be paid to the city hall. The preliminary proposal establishes a minimum of R$2.6 million to participate in the competition. In addition to this initial contribution, the future concessionaire must pay a monthly fee and up to 10% of the semi-annual gross revenue to the municipality. The initiative is currently in the public consultation phase, which will be open for contributions from civil society until July 13th (participate here). The municipal management also plans to hold a virtual public hearing before publishing the bidding notice. The total estimated value of the contract is R$90 million, an amount that includes investments, operational costs and grants. Opened in 1970 as part of the Interlagos Complex, the municipal kart track has established itself as one of the main driver training centers in the country, revealing names that have reached Formula 1 and other international categories. In 1996, the equipment was renamed in honor of Ayrton Senna, three-time Formula 1 champion who won his first karting victory on that circuit, at the age of 13. In 2020, during the administration of Bruno Covas (PSDB), the City of São Paulo even structured an attempt to grant the kart track to the private sector, together with the neighboring race track, but the process ended up being interrupted after the Municipal Audit Court (TCM) pointed out problems in the project. Aerial view of the Ayrton Senna Kartódromo, in Interlagos, in the South Zone of São Paulo Reproduction/SPTuris Commercial exploitation The rental of karts and safety equipment is identified as the dealership's main source of revenue in the new proposal, with annual revenue estimated at more than R$5.8 million just for leasing the vehicles. The company will also be able to profit from selling tickets, registering for competitions, renting boxes for professional teams and operating parking lots. The financial model proposed by the Nunes management predicts that the kart track will generate an average annual revenue of approximately R$9.3 million, making private investment in the modernization of the complex viable. Commercial exploitation, however, will be limited by a reserve of 100 days per year in which the public authorities can use the area for strategic events, such as the Formula 1 GP and The Town and Lollapalooza festivals. The kart track will continue to be connected to the Interlagos Race Track and must be used for operational and logistical support on the days of these major events, when the concessionaire must adapt its calendar. City Hall suspended Interlagos concession bidding for an indefinite period Mandatory interventions To obtain the strict Grade 1A certification from the FIA, the concessionaire must repave the circuit and widen the route to at least 8 meters, in addition to expanding escape areas and updating safety systems. In Brazil, the Birigui (SP) kardódomo is the only one that complies with the FIA ​​regulations for events of global reach. The project also requires the installation of new LED lighting systems, the construction of a new covered grandstand in place of the current one, bathroom renovations and the implementation of new technical spaces, such as the race director's room, timing tower, announcer's booth and press room. During major FIA events, the city hall will temporarily provide an area of ​​13,000 m² within the racetrack for the concessionaire to install the paddock and temporary structures. Participants compete for positions in the race at the Ayrton Senna Kartódromo, in São Paulo Daniel Maso/SPTuris