F1 return to Argentina sends fans wild

Argentina unveils F1 Grand Prix plans — Photo: © IMAGO

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F1 return to Argentina sends fans wild

Argentina has held 20 grands prix in its history but none since 1998

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Monday 27 April 2026 09:44

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Formula 1 fans in Argentina were given a treat following the return of the world's finest cars on their soil.

Argentina used to be a regular occurrence on the F1 calendar but it hasn't held a race since 1998 when the grand prix was held in Buenos Aires, with Michael Schumacher the last winner

However fans in the capital packed into a demonstration over the weekend that featured the Alpine team and local hero Franco Colapinto, as reported earlier in April.

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In a road car exhibition, the 22-year-old who is from Pilar in Buenos Aires, took to a public road in a legendary Mercedes W196 streamliner, as driven by compatriot and five-time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio, and an Alpine in front of thousands of fans who flocked to the grandstands.

Alpine or a Lotus?

Or at least on the surface it looked like an Alpine, on closer inspection the car was in fact the chassis of the Lotus E20, the car used in the 2012 F1 season by the Lotus team and which took victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix through 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen.

Lotus would eventually be sold to Renault in time for the 2015 season, before the team underwent another rebrand in 2021 to become the Alpine team it is today.

Either way, Colapinto delighted the crowd during the exhibition by driving down a straight at slow speed while waving to supporters, before performing donuts and smoking his tyres to a crisp before accelerating back down the straight he came from. Accompanied by the screaming V8 Renault engine in the back of the Lotus E20.

How many times has F1 raced in Argentina?

There is clearly a market for F1 in Argentina but it's hard to see the sport returning to the country anytime soon, despite South America having had only one race in the form of the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos since 1998 following the end of the Argentine Grand Prix.

The Argentine Grand Prix was held 20 times between 1953 and 1998 at the circuit that is now known as the Autodromo de Buenos Aires Oscar y Juan Galvez.

Despite having been absent from the calendar for 28 years, the Buenos Aires mayor Jorge Macri was hopeful a return of F1 to Argentina was edging closer.

“We’re going to be among the world’s leading circuits, like Barcelona and Silverstone," he said, as reported by the Buenos Aires Herald.

"This year we were chosen as the 2027 World Capital of Sport, and today we’re taking another step toward consolidating our global leadership in the sport.

"But we’re not content with that, as we’re challenging ourselves to go further: it’s the first step toward applying again to host Formula 1 - this return confirms that we’re on the right path.”

¡DONAS de Franco Colapinto en Buenos Aires y la locura es TOTAL!

? Colapinto en Buenos Aires, por #DisneyPlus Plan Premium (exclusivo) pic.twitter.com/TnTH3iSp1j
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) April 26, 2026