Government official confirms what Argentine Grand Prix return ‘depends on’ amid talks

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Interest in Formula 1 has only increased in Argentina since Franco Colapinto made his debut for Williams at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix.

The Argentinian has been very impressive in the pinnacle of motorsport having matched teammate Alex Albon since hitting the ground running.

Colapinto has scored points twice in his first six rounds, breaking into the top 10 in Azerbaijan and also the United States Grand Prix.

There were a lot of Argentinian fans supporting their home hero last time out at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Loads of Argentinian F1 fans were singing songs for Colapinto in Brazil from the grandstands.

Yet Colapinto is without a seat on the Formula 1 grid for next season as he is only racing for Williams this year after Logan Sargeant was dropped, with Carlos Sainz arriving in 2025.

But while Colapinto’s future is uncertain, his emergence in Formula 1 and the adulation Argentinian fans have shown has brought about the prospect of the Argentine Grand Prix returning to the calendar.

Daniel Scioli, Argentina’s minister of tourism, told motorsport what the country needs to do to return to the Formula 1 calendar.

A return of the F1 Argentine Grand Prix ‘depends’ on organisation

Formula 1 has a deep-rooted history in Argentina with Juan Manuel Fangio winning five world championships in the 1950s and previously hosting a Grand Prix.

It last hosted a race in 1998 at the Autodromo Oscar Alfredo Galvez before F1 opted to leave Argentina behind and instead race in Malaysia.

Colapinto could lead Argentina back to the F1 calendar if he stays on the grid, and the 21-year-old is the first Argentinian to start a Grand Prix since 2001.

Argentina has been struggling economically as a country and a Grand Prix will need to be fully funded privately which may make life difficult.

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Scioli explained a lot of organisation is also required to attract Formula 1 to Argentina for the first time since 1998.

He said: “We are starting to work on the possibility of bringing Formula 1 back to Argentina. Stefano [Domeniclai] knows Argentina very well, he has the best memories of our country.

“The meeting was very cordial, considering that we are talking about the organisation of an event that is the most sophisticated in the world in terms of logistics of all kinds.

“We have to work hard to achieve our goal. We have to work on the circuit, on all the requirements of an event as sophisticated as this one,” continued Scioli, who declined to speculate on a calendar, saying that “it will depend on the organisation.”

Argentina has a lot of competition to join the Formula 1 calendar

Argentina would like to return to Formula 1 but it is facing many other countries which are vying for very limited spots on the calendar.

South Africa has expressed an interest in hosting F1 at Kyalami and Madrid is already confirmed as the new host of the Spanish Grand Prix as a street race in 2026.

There is only one race in South America in Brazil and a round of the world championship in Argentina would boost interest in F1 even more.