Located in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro, this circuit was built in 1978 on a drained swamp, hence the absence of height difference. The track has no notable technical features, but is very bumpy and the climate is very humid and very hot, which makes the racing conditions very difficult. Many drivers have suffered fainting spells after a race.
After a first edition in 1978, the Jacarepagua circuit hosted the Brazilian Grand Prix from 1981 to 1989, before being replaced by the new version of the Interlagos circuit. In 1988 it took the name of triple Brazilian world champion Nelson Piquet.
At the end of the 2000s, the infrastructure having become obsolete, its destruction was decided. After some procrastination, it took place at the end of 2012. An Olympic training center was built instead, in anticipation of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.