The Circuito Panamericano, a new Pirelli project in Brazil in the name of tradition and innovation
On 27 May 2021, Pirelli presented the Circuito Panamericano, the largest and most modern multi-track complex in all of Latin America. The complex, which is located in the municipality of Elias Fausto, 110 km from São Paulo, covers an area of 1,650,000 m², with seven tracks giving a total of 22 km. It is to be used for developing and testing the company’s new tyres, but it is also available to assemblers and other Pirelli partners, who can carry out technical tests. The main car and motorcycle manufacturers will be able to use it for the launch of their new products. The circuit, which comes in addition to the Feira de Santana and Campinas factories for the production of car and motorcycle tyres, thus expands the presence of Pirelli in Brazil, with technologically advanced activities and products for both the consumer and motorsport sectors. This is a story that goes back a long way.
Pirelli started its production activities in Brazil way back in 1929 when it took over the Companhia Nacional de Artefactos de Cobre (CONAC) and built a factory in Capuava, in the municipality of Santo André, for the production of electric cables and, later, tyres. By the 1930s, Pirelli tyres were already playing a lead role in races on the main circuits around the country. In 1937 and 1938 the Italian driver Carlo Pintacuda won the Rio de Janeiro Grand Prix on the Gavea circuit in an Alfa Romeo with Pirelli tyres. In the 1950s, Pirelli came to the fore on the Interlagos circuit, as we see in the pages of Noticias Pirelli, the house organ for employees of the Brazilian group, which was published from 1956 to 1981, and which is now available online. In 1956 Pirelli took top spot with a Ford driven by Catharino Andreatta and Breno Fornari, in 1957 with a Fulgor Especial driven by Celso Barbieri and Rugero Peruzzo, and again in 1958 with a Maserati driven by the Argentine champion Juan Manuel Fangio. Pirelli also made its mark in rallying in Brazil, winning the first International Rally in Brazil in 1974 with a Fiat 131 Abarth fitted with Pirelli P7s.
The Santo André factory was joined in 1971 by the one in Campinas, in the industrial area of São Paulo, and then came the one in Gravataì, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in 1976, and the one in Sumaré in 1980, with the first tyre test track in South America opened in 1988. In 1986 it was the turn of the modern complex of Feira de Santana, in the state of Bahia, now the first 4.0 centre in the area thanks to a substantial investment made by the Pirelli Group over the past three years. The Circuito Panamericano is thus part of the continuing investments in innovation and research and development, showing how Brazil is a key player in the strategy of Pirelli, which is now preparing to celebrate its 150th anniversary.
On 27 May 2021, Pirelli presented the Circuito Panamericano, the largest and most modern multi-track complex in all of Latin America. The complex, which is located in the municipality of Elias Fausto, 110 km from São Paulo, covers an area of 1,650,000 m², with seven tracks giving a total of 22 km. It is to be used for developing and testing the company’s new tyres, but it is also available to assemblers and other Pirelli partners, who can carry out technical tests. The main car and motorcycle manufacturers will be able to use it for the launch of their new products. The circuit, which comes in addition to the Feira de Santana and Campinas factories for the production of car and motorcycle tyres, thus expands the presence of Pirelli in Brazil, with technologically advanced activities and products for both the consumer and motorsport sectors. This is a story that goes back a long way.
Pirelli started its production activities in Brazil way back in 1929 when it took over the Companhia Nacional de Artefactos de Cobre (CONAC) and built a factory in Capuava, in the municipality of Santo André, for the production of electric cables and, later, tyres. By the 1930s, Pirelli tyres were already playing a lead role in races on the main circuits around the country. In 1937 and 1938 the Italian driver Carlo Pintacuda won the Rio de Janeiro Grand Prix on the Gavea circuit in an Alfa Romeo with Pirelli tyres. In the 1950s, Pirelli came to the fore on the Interlagos circuit, as we see in the pages of Noticias Pirelli, the house organ for employees of the Brazilian group, which was published from 1956 to 1981, and which is now available online. In 1956 Pirelli took top spot with a Ford driven by Catharino Andreatta and Breno Fornari, in 1957 with a Fulgor Especial driven by Celso Barbieri and Rugero Peruzzo, and again in 1958 with a Maserati driven by the Argentine champion Juan Manuel Fangio. Pirelli also made its mark in rallying in Brazil, winning the first International Rally in Brazil in 1974 with a Fiat 131 Abarth fitted with Pirelli P7s.
The Santo André factory was joined in 1971 by the one in Campinas, in the industrial area of São Paulo, and then came the one in Gravataì, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in 1976, and the one in Sumaré in 1980, with the first tyre test track in South America opened in 1988. In 1986 it was the turn of the modern complex of Feira de Santana, in the state of Bahia, now the first 4.0 centre in the area thanks to a substantial investment made by the Pirelli Group over the past three years. The Circuito Panamericano is thus part of the continuing investments in innovation and research and development, showing how Brazil is a key player in the strategy of Pirelli, which is now preparing to celebrate its 150th anniversary.
