Argentina's dream of returning to the Formula 1 calendar has received an important boost after FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem publicly backed the country's bid to host a Grand Prix once again.
The development comes after Argentine President Javier Milei made it clear that he wants Formula 1 to return to Argentina and said he would personally work to make it happen. Milei and Ben Sulayem met in Buenos Aires during the 2026 FIA American Congress, where the future of motorsport in Argentina was among the subjects discussed.
Although the FIA president's support represents a significant step forward, Argentina's return is far from guaranteed. The Formula 1 calendar is already extremely crowded, and any potential new race would have to satisfy demanding financial, infrastructure and organisational requirements.
FIA President Gives Argentina His Support
Speaking to Argentine television channel A24, Mohammed Ben Sulayem gave a remarkably positive assessment of Argentina's chances.
The FIA president said he would support an initiative to bring Formula 1 back to the country, while also mentioning the possibility of Argentina hosting a round of the World Rally Championship.
Ben Sulayem argued that Argentina has the history, passion and sporting tradition necessary to deserve a place on the modern Formula 1 calendar.
According to the FIA president, the country hosted its first Formula 1 race in 1953 and has maintained a strong connection with motorsport for decades. He also highlighted Argentina's rallying tradition, which dates back to 1980.
For Ben Sulayem, the combination of history, motorsport culture and fan support makes Argentina a credible candidate for a return.
He also suggested that the country's economic situation has improved sufficiently for the project to be considered feasible.
That does not mean a Grand Prix has been approved, however. The FIA president made it clear that Argentina still has to go through the necessary process before it could secure a place on the Formula 1 calendar.
Javier Milei Wants Formula 1 Back
The push for a Formula 1 return has been strongly supported by Javier Milei's government.
Argentina has not hosted a Formula 1 Grand Prix since 1998, when the event was once again held at the Autódromo Oscar y Juan Gálvez in Buenos Aires.
Milei has made the return of major international motorsport one of his objectives and recently announced that he would personally lobby for Argentina's case.
His appearance at the FIA American Congress in Buenos Aires gave the Argentine government an opportunity to present its ambitions directly to senior representatives of international motorsport.
Milei argued that Argentina possesses the necessary ingredients to host major international competitions once again, including its motorsport heritage, drivers and institutional support.
The meeting with Ben Sulayem therefore represented an important moment for the country's campaign.
The Last Argentine Grand Prix Was in 1998
The long absence from Formula 1 makes the potential return particularly significant.
Argentina was an important destination for Formula 1 during several periods of the championship's history. Buenos Aires hosted numerous Grands Prix, with the country's first Formula 1 race taking place in 1953.
The Autódromo Oscar y Juan Gálvez became closely associated with the Argentine Grand Prix and hosted the event on multiple occasions.
However, Argentina's appearance on the Formula 1 calendar eventually came to an end. The last Grand Prix took place in 1998, meaning that a potential comeback would arrive after almost three decades away from the championship.
Since then, there have been several attempts and proposals to bring the race back, but none managed to produce a lasting agreement with Formula 1.
The latest campaign is different in one important respect: it has direct support from Argentina's president and now has an openly supportive FIA president.
The Calendar Is the Biggest Problem
Despite Ben Sulayem's positive comments, there is a major obstacle standing in Argentina's way.
The Formula 1 calendar is already packed.
The FIA president pointed out that the championship currently has a limited number of available slots. For Argentina to enter the calendar, another event would potentially have to leave.
This is one of the most important issues facing the Argentine bid.
Formula 1 has expanded dramatically in recent years, with new races and markets competing for a place on the schedule. Grand Prix organisers around the world are also willing to invest enormous amounts of money to secure long-term agreements with Formula 1.
As a result, having a famous motorsport history is not enough.
Ben Sulayem stressed that Argentina would need to produce a serious business plan and demonstrate that the necessary investment, infrastructure, government support and fan interest are in place.
In other words, the emotional argument is only one part of the equation.
Buenos Aires Circuit Is Being Developed
One of the most important pieces of the project is the Autódromo Oscar y Juan Gálvez in Buenos Aires.
The circuit has been undergoing renovation work with the objective of improving its facilities and bringing it closer to the standards required for international competition.
The venue is expected to play a central role in Argentina's ambitions to attract major motorsport events.
The work is particularly relevant because modern Formula 1 requires much more than simply having a racing circuit.
Facilities for teams, spectators, media, hospitality, safety personnel and logistics all have to meet extremely high standards.
Argentina therefore needs to demonstrate that Buenos Aires can provide the infrastructure required by the modern Formula 1 championship.
Franco Colapinto Adds Another Dimension
Argentina also has an important advantage that previous attempts to revive its Grand Prix lacked: Franco Colapinto.
The Argentine driver has become one of the country's biggest motorsport stars and has helped reignite interest in Formula 1 among Argentine fans.
Colapinto's presence on the grid gives Argentina a current connection to the championship rather than relying exclusively on its historic achievements.
Ben Sulayem also praised Colapinto and described him as an important representative of Argentina in Formula 1.
The driver's popularity could potentially make an Argentine Grand Prix even more attractive from a commercial and sporting perspective.
For fans in the country, seeing Colapinto compete at home in front of a huge Argentine crowd would undoubtedly be one of the biggest attractions of a potential return.
A Return Is Possible, But Not Yet Confirmed
The latest developments represent one of the strongest signs yet that Argentina could eventually return to Formula 1.
Milei has openly committed himself to the project, the Buenos Aires circuit is being upgraded, and the FIA president has publicly stated that Argentina deserves a place on the calendar.
However, there is still a considerable distance between political support and an actual Formula 1 contract.
Argentina would have to satisfy the FIA's technical requirements, secure the necessary investment and present a viable business plan. Formula 1 would also have to determine how an Argentine race could fit into an already crowded calendar.
Ben Sulayem's comments therefore should be viewed as an important endorsement rather than an announcement of a confirmed Grand Prix.
Argentina's F1 Dream Is Alive Again
For Argentine motorsport fans, however, the message is encouraging.
After almost 30 years without a Formula 1 race, the possibility of seeing the world's premier single-seater championship return to Buenos Aires is once again being discussed at the highest levels of motorsport.
Javier Milei has made his position clear, while Mohammed Ben Sulayem has indicated that the FIA is willing to support the initiative.
The next step will be turning that political and sporting momentum into a concrete proposal capable of competing for one of the limited places on the Formula 1 calendar.
If Argentina can complete the necessary circuit improvements, secure the required investment and convince Formula 1 that the event is commercially sustainable, a return could become a realistic possibility.
For now, there is no confirmed date for an Argentine Grand Prix.
But after decades away from Formula 1, Argentina once again has something it has been missing for a long time: a serious and high-profile campaign to bring the world's biggest motorsport championship back to Buenos Aires.
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