Buenas Carreras: Argentina Eyes F1 Return
Argentina wants Formula One back – and this time, the country appears to be doing more than dreaming about it. The Buenos Aires circuit is being upgraded, the government is backing the project, the FIA president has voiced his support, and Franco Colapinto has reignited huge public interest in F1. Argentina could reportedly return to the calendar as early as 2028 or 2029.
Motorsport has been resurgent in Argentina thanks to Franco Colapinto’s soaring popularity, making him the first Argentinian F1 driver since 2001 (the latest was Gastón Hugo Mazzacane, driving for Minardi in 2000 and Prost GP in 2001). The Alpine driver, whose contract has been renewed for 2027, attracted 600,000 spectators for his show drive in Buenos Aires this April. He completed several demonstration runs through the capital’s streets in a Lotus-Renault E20 in Alpine livery, and also drove a Mercedes-Benz W196 Streamliner replica – the car with which Fangio won two titles in 1954 and 1955. Tickets sold out in advance, while additional free viewing zones in the Bosques de Palermo park filled with fans from early morning. Argentinian fans have shown enormous passion, with Franco himself calling them the best in the world.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has voiced support for hosting a Grand Prix on Colapinto’s home soil: “I will support the initiative to have an F1 race or the World Rally Championship here in Argentina.” He outlined the key conditions for a potential racing venue – “the willingness, the investments, the fans, and the government’s power to make it happen” – and believes Argentina meets them: “Does Argentina deserve to be part of the F1 calendar? The answer is yes.”
Argentinian President Javier Milei has embraced the prospect of attracting investment, developing tourism, and promoting Buenos Aires internationally. He opened the FIA American Congress in the country’s capital on August 31 alongside Ben Sulayem. Held annually, the event brings together automotive clubs from across the Americas to discuss the future of motorsports and mobility. Milei also met with FIA officials, calling for F1’s return after an almost 30-year absence, citing Argentina’s “rich racing heritage.”
Argentina’s case is not based solely on the new wave of interest generated by Colapinto. His popularity is new, but the passion behind it is anything but. The country has deep roots in Formula One history and was home to El Maestro, one of F1’s most successful drivers – Juan Manuel Fangio, who competed in the first decade of the championship (1950-1958). Having won five world titles, he remains third on the all-time list and is the only driver to have done so with four different F1 teams – Alfa Romeo (1951), Maserati (1954, 1957), Mercedes-Benz (1954, 1955), and Ferrari (1956). He also holds the championship’s highest winning (46%) and pole percentages (56%).
Though Argentina’s other 25 F1 drivers have not matched Fangio’s success, the country never lost its interest in the sport. “The Argentine passion for racing is timeless,” said Milei. “That is why I invite you to dream with me. Argentina has all the conditions necessary to once again welcome Formula One and the World Rally Championship onto its calendar.” Milei argued that Argentina has the tradition, drivers, and institutional credibility needed to host the championships again, adding that the country wants to see Colapinto race at home.
The enthusiasm is being backed by concrete investment. Argentina hosted F1 intermittently from 1953 to 1998 at the Autódromo de Buenos Aires Oscar y Juan Gálvez, which is now being renovated to host MotoGP next year and secure FIA Grade 1 status, a prerequisite for F1. The project has two stages: meeting MotoGP requirements and preparing for a potential F1 return, including an extension from the planned 4.3 km MotoGP layout to nearly 5 km. Work on a new pit building and remodelled circuit began in January. The project is now 60% complete, with an investment of USD 150 million – the largest upgrade in the circuit’s history – and is expected to accommodate more than 150,000 spectators. Assessing the work, Ben Sulayem commented: “A lot of investment is going on. I know there is MotoGP for next year. And the design is by Tilke… one of the most prominent designers. So, this sends a message to us as the FIA and of course to FOM [Formula One Management]… that you are serious in what you are doing.”
However, one obvious problem persists: there is almost no room left on the calendar, which already has 24 races. Several countries are competing for a spot, with Thailand, South Africa, Rwanda, and South Korea among the main contenders. “We have 24 Grands Prix in the calendar. We can go to 25, but that is extremely difficult. It will be on the officials, on the drivers. So, to us, it’s a matter of a calendar,” Ben Sulayem told Argentinian reporters. “It’s a matter of a business plan for five years minimum. And your people here, the government, are serious about it. Rest assured, you have my support.”
Argentina, though, is not necessarily waiting until 2028. The country’s sporting authorities have expressed a willingness to hold a race as early as 2027 if the Middle Eastern Grands Prix were cancelled, as they were in 2026. An Argentinian delegation of officials and Grupo OSD (the local promoter) representatives reportedly discussed the matter with Liberty Media executives during the Miami GP in May. Buenos Aires sports secretary Fabian Turnes pointed to the possibility of a calendar opening up, noting that several current contracts are coming to an end and that there has already been “some rotation among venues.” He also referred to the conflict in the Middle East, which has already forced the cancellation of the April races in Bahrain (relocated to Malaysia under the same name and branding) and Saudi Arabia and could affect the Qatar Grand Prix in November and the Abu Dhabi finale in December, with Imola reportedly among the possible alternative venues. “Personally, if the situation does not change, I see 2027 as more challenging [for hosting F1 in Argentina]. But 2028 does not feel that far away, and when you think about it, it is actually quite close in time.”