Argentina is stepping up its ambition to bring Formula 1 back to Buenos Aires, with major redevelopment work continuing at the Autódromo Óscar y Juan Gálvez. The circuit will host MotoGP in 2027, but the project is also being designed to meet the FIA Grade 1 standard required to stage an F1 Grand Prix.
The push comes as Formula 1 prepares to return to Malaysia in October 2026, when Sepang will host the relocated Bahrain Grand Prix following disruption in the Middle East. Argentina is not currently confirmed on the Formula 1 calendar, but the extensive Buenos Aires redevelopment is intended to put the venue in a position to pursue an F1 return if an opportunity emerges.
Argentina targets Formula 1 return with Buenos Aires circuit upgrade
The complete renovation of the Autódromo Óscar y Juan Gálvez is progressing according to schedule, with major changes becoming increasingly visible at the Argentine capital’s circuit. Construction crews are working intensively on the extension of the final section ahead of the main straight.
The work is essential not only to secure the FIM homologation required for MotoGP, but also to reach the FIA Grade 1 standard necessary to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix. Buenos Aires officials have confirmed that the redevelopment has been expanded specifically to accommodate the requirements of F1 as well as motorcycle racing.
Jorge Macri, Head of Government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, said: “With the new project and the work, we are bringing the City’s Autódromo back to the same level as the world’s great circuits. This will allow us not only to bring MotoGP back, but also F1 to Argentina.”
He added: “These are investments that position us as the attractive city we are in the eyes of the world, and that is why Buenos Aires was designated World Capital of Sport in 2027.”
Argentina’s plans arrive at a particularly interesting moment for Formula 1’s international calendar. Malaysia is returning to the championship in 2026 after Sepang last hosted an F1 race in 2017, although its October event will officially be the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia rather than the revival of a permanent Malaysian Grand Prix.
New asphalt, drainage, underpass and karting circuit relocation
Construction is progressing simultaneously across several areas of the Buenos Aires venue. With the final circuit layout now established, topographical checks are continuing to ensure precise levelling of the foundations and sub-base layers.
Concrete kerbs defining the track are already visible, while initial test layers of asphalt have been laid in certain areas ahead of the installation of the final racing surface.
Earthworks are also progressing on service roads and run-off areas, alongside the installation of retaining walls. The hydraulic infrastructure programme includes excavation and the installation of stormwater pipes designed to provide effective drainage during periods of heavy rainfall.
A major element of the work can be seen near Turn 1, where a new underpass is being constructed to provide a direct connection between Avenida Roca and the paddock area. The structure is designed to accommodate heavy traffic, and the pouring of its upper slab has been successfully completed.
Work is also continuing on essential services within the paddock, including drainage, connectivity and electrical conduits. The pit building is rising as prefabricated beams and floor slabs are installed, while construction of the stairwell walls has begun.
At the Race Control tower, work is underway on the lift shaft alongside masonry, window installation, air-conditioning and electrical systems.
Buenos Aires circuit extension requires karting track relocation
One of the central elements of the redevelopment is the extension of the opposite straight and the introduction of a new chicane. That decision requires the main circuit to expand into the area currently occupied by the karting track.
As a result, dismantling of the existing grandstand and structures belonging to the smaller circuit has begun. The karting facility will be relocated to another part of the same complex, where a new internationally homologated track will be constructed.
To ensure motorsport activity can continue during the transition, the Buenos Aires City Government will also provide a temporary circuit.
Technical details of Argentina’s proposed Formula 1 circuit
The redevelopment, being carried out by Autopistas Urbanas through the Buenos Aires City Government’s Sports Secretariat, is expected to be completed progressively by the end of the year. The new surface will use 4,400 metres of high-performance polymer asphalt designed to meet the requirements of the FIA and FIM.
For MotoGP, the circuit will measure 4.3km and have a minimum width of 12 metres, increasing to 18 metres at Turn 1. It will feature 14 corners, comprising nine right-handers and five left-handers, while its straights will measure 740 metres.
The estimated MotoGP lap time is one minute and 22 seconds, with a top speed exceeding 330km/h and an average speed of 185km/h. The maximum gradient will be 7% at Turn 4, while several corners will feature a 5% crossfall.
The proposed Formula 1 configuration will be considerably faster and slightly longer. Its total length will increase to 4.87km, with a minimum width of 12 metres, rising to 15 metres on the main straight and 18 metres at Turn 1.
The F1 layout will feature 15 corners, with nine right-handers and six left-handers, together with 980-metre straights. The estimated lap time is one minute and 12 seconds, while cars are expected to exceed 340km/h and average approximately 240km/h around the lap.
The maximum gradient would reach 10% at Turn 14, with a 7% crossfall at Turn 4 and 5% at several other corners. The venue’s history and its eventual Formula 1 records can be explored alongside other championship circuits through the F1 Circuit Records & Statistics section.
Argentina is preparing for an opportunity, but no F1 race is confirmed
The redevelopment demonstrates the scale of Buenos Aires’ Formula 1 ambitions, but completing an FIA Grade 1 venue does not itself guarantee a place on the championship calendar. Argentina does not currently have a confirmed Grand Prix or an announced formal agreement with Formula One Management for a race.
What the project can do is ensure that the Autódromo Óscar y Juan Gálvez is technically prepared should an opportunity arise. The Buenos Aires authorities have already expanded the scope of a redevelopment initially centred on MotoGP so that the circuit can pursue the standards required by Formula 1.
For Argentina, that would open the possibility of bringing Formula 1 back to a circuit with a long Grand Prix history. For now, the immediate milestone is MotoGP’s scheduled 2027 return, while the wider objective is clear: make Buenos Aires capable of welcoming Formula 1 again.
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