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Franco Colapinto believes a Formula 1 return to Argentina could produce a level of support unlike anything the championship has previously experienced, as redevelopment work continues at Buenos Airesâ AutĂłdromo Oscar y Juan GĂĄlvez.
Argentina last hosted F1 in 1998, closing a run of 20 Grands Prix staged between 1953 and 1998. Almost three decades later, the country is taking significant steps towards re-establishing itself on the international motorsport calendar.
Major refurbishment work began at the Buenos Aires circuit earlier this year. The project is being carried out ahead of MotoGPâs planned return to the venue next season, but the progress has also strengthened hopes that Formula 1 could eventually follow.
Colapinto, one of only two Argentine drivers to have raced in F1 this century, said he had visited the circuit and seen the plans for its redevelopment.
âWhen I went to Argentina, I visited the track, I saw the plan of how they are going to do it,â Colapinto told media. âThe track, they are rebuilding everything, they are redoing the whole track. Everything is kind of levelled now.â
For Colapinto, the strongest argument for an Argentine Grand Prix is the intensity of the countryâs fanbase. He described the AutĂłdromo Oscar y Juan GĂĄlvez as a historic venue and suggested that a modern F1 event there could immediately become one of the championshipâs biggest crowd attractions.
âThe fans are amazing; they are very passionate, extremely passionate, and I think will be a very solid race for F1 to go to at some point, probably some records in terms of people going there,â he said. âThe way the fans support the drivers or the teams would be something that has never been seen before.â
Colapinto acknowledged that Argentina faces competition from other locations seeking a place on the F1 calendar. He also stressed that any return would require considerable work behind the scenes, saying he did not know what was happening away from the public view.
Nevertheless, he believes the domestic appetite is already strong. According to Colapinto, F1 is now Argentinaâs second most-followed sport behind football and continues to grow.
âIt would be amazing if F1 can do that. So hopefully it happens,â he added. His comments come as attention also remains on his own place in the championship, with his Alpine future dependent on merit as the team considers its 2027 plans.
Il est ingénieur logiciel et passionné de Formule 1 et de sport automobile. Il a cofondé Formula Live Pulse afin de rendre les données télémétriques en direct et les informations sur les courses accessibles, visuelles et faciles à suivre.