73 replies to this topic

[ElJefe]

http://www.bbc.co.uk...rmula1/34673408

 

It doesn't make sense to me to consider a country with significant economic problems, but Bernie works in mysterious ways. I do have to say though that I would welcome a return to a true motorsport country with passionate fans (did anyone say Potrero de los Funes?)

[wj_gibson]

The usual Ecclestonian grandstanding shite designed to make European promoters nervous.

[Risil]

Argentina claims (among other things) F1's first multiple world champion and the world's oldest racing series. So on that basis I'd welcome it onto the calendar.

 

MotoGP round there's fantastic too.

[eronrules]

i hope Jeremy Clarkson gets the job of race promoter ...  

Edited by eronrules, 30 October 2015 - 14:02.

[johnwilliamdavies]

I liked the GPs they had there in the 90s, and at least the crowd will be enthusiastic, which is more than can be said of most the of the "new" Grand Prix.

[Dalin80]

I'm guessing that round wont be covered by the BBC...

[BRG]

Argentina is a key motorsport country.  It should have a F1 GP.  It can have the Abu Dhabi slot as far as I am concerned. Or the Bahrain slot. Or the Azerbaijan slot.  

[dgsg]

How will the sanctioning fee be paid, official exchange rate or the Blue Dollar? 

[turssi]

Doesn't matter as the government will not allow it to be repatriated out of the country ;-)

[Spillage]

Argentina claims (among other things) F1's first multiple world champion and the world's oldest racing series. So on that basis I'd welcome it onto the calendar.

 

MotoGP round there's fantastic too.

F1's first multiple world champion was Alberto Ascari, no? I agree with your point, though - it'd be great to see Argentina back on the calendar. Leaves us with an increasingly over-long F1 calendar, though.

[Risil]

Haha, yes, got my chronology wrong there.

 

20 races should be okay so long as they look different and provide variety. 19 versions of the same race plus Monaco isn't the same thing.

[LORDBYRON]

Will the top gear hosts be doing the interviews ?

[Tsarwash]

Considering the animosity between Argentina and Britain, I find this one difficult to swallow, personally. I think that Argentina ought to have a GP, but they might have to swallow a bit of pride beforehand. E.g. their judicial system has just launched another inquiry into the Top Gear fiasco even though a judge last year announced there was no case to answer. It could get very political.

[Peter0Scandlyn]

Doesn't matter as the government will not allow it to be repatriated out of the country ;-)

 Okay. So brown paper bags then.....

[Peter0Scandlyn]

Rule number one with the short fellow. Watch BOTH hands.....

[Giz]

I won't cry for them if it doesn't

[turssi]

Link to 'top gear host fiasco'?

[taz]

In what state is the Buenos Aires track nowadays? are there still races there?

 

There were many layouts of the track in the past, maybe they could do something there like they did to the Mexico city track

 

[ezequiel]

The Buenos Aires circuit is in very bad shape after years of bad administration. Some of the biggest local championships (like stc2000) don't even race there anymore. But I think there has been a recent change in administration and the ACA announced a plan to revamp it up to FIA Grade 2 or 3 or something like that. The idea was to bring the WEC which, apart from F1, is the only big worldwide motor racing series Argentina doesn't host (WTCC, WRC, WRX, MotoGP and Dakar are already there).

[charly0418]

Argentina is a proper Motorsport country. Would love it 

[MortenF1]

The Buenos Aires track was really good! …and DC was special around there  

I would also happily trade Azerbaijan for a race in Argentina. 

[turssi]

Okay. So brown paper bags then.....

Now that I think about it, the powers that be could pay the race from their personal off-shore accounts. After all it's time the people got some circus fun for their stolen tax pesos :-)

[GoldenColt]

i hope Jeremy Clarkson gets the job of race promoter ...  

And Hammond for Mexico. 

[PayasYouRace]

Relations with the UK must play a part given how much of F1 is British based. But are things worse now than they were in the 1990s when the war was fresher in everyone's minds?

[Risil]

I thought it was the big late 90s financial crisis that led to the end of the Argentinian GP in the 1990s, not international relations?

Edited by Risil, 31 October 2015 - 17:19.

[F1Champion]

It would be nice but with so many British teams, I can't help but think it would get political and politics should stay out of the sport. Plus I can't see the calendar getting much bigger - 20 is already too much I think.

[PayasYouRace]

I thought it was the big late 90s financial crisis that led to the end of the Argentinian GP in the 1990s, not international relations?

Exactly, I didn't think it was a problem then so I wonder if things have got worse now or if people are just blowing it out of proportion.

[Risil]

Given that F1 can race in Russia with few qualms, a war probably is what it'd take to stop them going anywhere.

Edited by Risil, 31 October 2015 - 18:17.

[Dalin80]

Bernie follows his wallet, the only thing that would stop him taking the cars somewhere is if that place doesn't have enough money to make him happy. Argentina doesn't really have a massive surplus at the moment.

[coppilcus]

How will the sanctioning fee be paid, official exchange rate or the Blue Dollar?

Indeed... A little bit confusing the exchange rates available: official, black, blue and green markets.

[Lee Nicolle]

Doubt it will happen, Bernies fee could never be met. And since F1 is English based it would be far too dangerous to go there. Ask the Top Gear crew!

[Goma]

F1 is not perceived here as "English", never was, so I doubt that's an issue.

The fee would be a problem, and also the circuit... but the presidential election is in November 22, so who knows what might happen...

[BRG]

I think people are getting a bit over-excited about the UK-Argentina thing.  M-Sport take their rally team to Argentina each year for the WRC round.  No problems for them, or for British drivers like Meeke.  Likewise other series as ezequiel mentioned above.  Motorsport (sport generally in fact) trumps politics every time. 

[ElJefe]

I really do hope Argentina returns, the Mexican crowd has shown that F1 could use some Latin passion from a motorsport crazy country. 

[wj_gibson]

Didn't Kercher unilaterally announce that there was an agreement to run a street race at Mar del Plata two or three years ago? There were circuit maps and everything.

[AustinF1]

F1 race director Whiting inspects venue in Buenos Aires https://motorsport.c...s-aires-941594/

[Ruusperi]

Whiting probably demanded all the grass and gravel be gone, otherwise no F1 race.

[Anja]

I would assume there's no realistic chance of running the lake loop in case if this happens, right?

[RA2]

There is enough runoff space to run the lake loop

 

Anyway with Brazil looking unlikely, Liberty is looking for an alternative South American GP

[wj_gibson]

The lake loop would surely be subjected to considerable re-profiling a la Mexico City? Otherwise it would simply be a de facto straight - it would be flat out through both right-handers there.

[TF110]

Too bad it's not a race at Potrero de los Funes. Now that would be a sight!

[eirwal]

According to reports from local press -not official statements- Whiting seems to have been favourably impressed with the general state of the Buenos Aires "Autódromo", saying that in its present condition it would automatically qualify as a Grade 3 and that with very minor alterations could make Grade 2, something which might be undertaken before the end of the year. Grade 1 could be attained quite easily at a cost that the local media quote at aroind 40M U$. He seems to have -surprisingly?- spoken favourably about the "loop around the lake" layout which was used by F1 in the 1974/81 period.

The obvious problem a possible F! comeback would face are the race fees. The new government is being moderately succesful in its efforts to turn over the economic crisis it inherited from the populist Kirchner administration but cash is still short and F! is not a priority on its spending list. Therefore, the cash would have to be put up by private investors but for the moment this seems to be a pipedream. Argetina doesn't have a Carlos Slim! 

[eirwal]

Too bad it's not a race at Potrero de los Funes. Now that would be a sight!

 

It seems that there would be a problem of having enough space to enlarge the paddock area to F! required dimensions. Additionally, the track is located in a provicial "back of beyond" territory, lacking adequate airport and hotel services. Also, very pretty track and settings but not great for overtaking.

[eirwal]

The lake loop would surely be subjected to considerable re-profiling a la Mexico City? Otherwise it would simply be a de facto straight - it would be flat out through both right-handers there.

 

The lake loop comprises two straights and one long varying radius -tightening- turn in between.

Edited by eirwal, 16 August 2017 - 16:59.

[eibyyz]

Lole runs a third Ferrari and out-quallies Kimi...then ignores team orders...

[RA2]

Too bad it's not a race at Potrero de los Funes. Now that would be a sight!

 

 

If you want a lake, then you should visit Autodromo di Pergusa

[Darren1]

Mallory park has a lake too!

[Fastcake]

So does the car park at Silverstone when it rains!

[taz]

There are a lot of layouts possible, with the lake loop + a few modifications on the current gp track, it could become a nice circuit (like Mexico City imo)

 

[RacingGreen]

I would assume there's no realistic chance of running the lake loop in case if this happens, right?

 

They plan to fill the lake with concrete to create the required additional run off area.