Argentina's bid to secure a spot on the Formula 1 race calendar is picking up momentum, with key discussions set to take place during the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo next month.
This push comes after recent improvements in Argentina's economic landscape and Franco Colapinto's impressive debut, which has fueled the excitement and commercial interest around bringing F1 back to the country.
Argentina's sports minister, Daniel Scioli, confirmed that a significant meeting is scheduled with F1's owners, Liberty Media, and the FIA on November 1st during the Brazil GP weekend. "We have a meeting scheduled in Brazil on the subject of Formula 1," Scioli told Buenos Aires' LR6 Radio Mitre. "On November first, I will be in Sao Paulo with the president of Liberty, who is responsible for organising these events, and with the president of the FIA."
Scioli emphasized that Argentina is well-positioned to bring Formula 1 back, relying on private investment to finance the event. "We are going to explain why they should come to our country," he said. "We are going to move forward with this project since we have the conditions to host an event of such global impact and job creation."
While Colapinto's standout performance with Williams has helped boost the project, Scioli insisted that the ambition to bring F1 to Argentina goes beyond just the rookie's recent impact. "For us, Formula 1 goes beyond Colapinto," Scioli added, explaining that the Buenos Aires race track is already undergoing modernisation to meet F1's standards. Private companies are prepared to cover the event's expenses, with strong backing from the city government, he added.
However, one potential roadblock for Colapinto's future in F1 is that Sauber does not appear interested in the Williams boss James Vowles' suggestion to loan Colapinto to the Audi-owned team for 2025 and 2026. Vowles told Auto Motor und Sport: "If he doesn't get a place there, I'll have the best reserve driver in the sport. And we will continue to train him by testing him in old Formula 1 cars and letting him drive in the simulator."
