José Carlos Pace (6 October 1944 - 17 March 1977) was a Brazilian Formula 1 driver. He competed for Williams, Surtees and Brabham. Known for his smooth and skillful driving, he achieved his only Formula 1 victory at the 1975 Brazilian Grand Prix while driving for Brabham. A respected and talented racer, Pace was considered one of Brazil’s rising stars in motorsport. Tragically, he passed away on March 18, 1977, in Mairiporã, Brazil, in a plane crash. In his honor. In 1985, the Interlagos Circuit, in São Paulo, was later renamed the José Carlos Pace Autodrome.