Brazil's crumbling Interlagos circuit to get $73 million facelift

The famed but crumbling Interlagos motor-racing track will get a $73 million (52.6m euros) facelift so that the Brazilian Grand Prix can be saved, organisers and Sao Paulo officials said on Friday.

Last year, F1's commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone said the race could be scrapped if the 74-year-old circuit wasn't upgraded to keep the grand prix in the city until 2020.

The money will be spent on resurfacing the track, building new stands as well as improving the surrounds of Interlagos after teams complained of cramped conditions.

The track will close on July 15 and reopen at the start of October, a month before the 2014 Brazilian Grand Prix takes place on November 9.

Work will restart in December with a completion date set for February 2015.