Track designers aim to bring F1 back to Argentina

The track designers behind the new Formula One circuit in India and the recent Silverstone redesign are aiming to bring F1 back to Argentina.

Formula One hasn't visited Argentina since 1998, but if track designers Populous achieve their aim with a new purpose built Velociudad Speedcity track in Zarate [100km from Buenos Aires] then Formula One and MotoGP could return to the country at some stage after 2014, when the track is completed.

'The plan is for a circuit capable of delivering a Formula 1 event, Once the facility is there, then it's down to a promoter.' said Populous associate director John Rhodes to reuters.

'The issue is to have a high performance circuit capable of holding a MotoGP then add the necessary requirements for a Formula 1 race.

'The main 4.7 km circuit will be good for F1 and endurance races like Le Mans, it's a good, sensible length.'

Argentina have hosted Formula One Grand Prix's intermittently since 1953.

The first race was won by Italian Alberto Ascari in a Ferrari around the old Buenos Aires circuit, but between 1954 and 1957 the race was dominated by Argentina's own Juan Manuel Fangio who won all four races, even when he didn't start in 1956 he took over Luigi Musso's car on lap 29 in fifth and still went on to win!

Stirling Moss won the 1958 race, while Bruce McLaren won in 1960, but the race was beginning to dip in and out of the Formula One calendar and did not run in 1959 or between the years 1961 and 1970.

The race returned in the 1970's with Emerson Fittipaldi the most successful driver winning the 1973 and 1975 races, but once again in 1976 the race was not held and again between 1982 and 1994 there was another long absence until the race returned for another four years between 1995 and 1998, with Damon Hill winning twice in 1995 and 1996 and Michael Schumacher winning the last race in Argentina in 1998.