The 1000 km Buenos Aires was an endurance sports car and stock car event held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The race mostly run on the Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez, although it ran on the Costanera circuit in 1957. Besides a single race in Caracas, Venezuela, it was the only annual South American race in the history of the World Sportscar Championship.

Argentina 1000km Buenos Aires
Race Information
Venue Autódromo Oscar y Juan Gálvez
Number of times held 11
First held 1954
Race Format
Race 1
Laps 178
Distance 1,000 km
Last Event (2018)
Overall Winner
Argentina Agustín Canapino
Argentina Federico Alonso
Argentina Martín Ponte
Jet Racing
Race Winners
Argentina Agustín Canapino
Argentina Federico Alonso
Argentina Martín Ponte
Jet Racing
Circuit Callejero - Buenos Aires 1000km (1954)
Circuit Callejero - Buenos Aires 1000km (1955)
Circuit Costanera Norte - Buenos Aires 1000 km (1957)
Circuit-galvez-1968-No15

History

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In 1953, Formula One visited the newly built Autódromo in the center of Buenos Aires for the Argentine Grand Prix. The race was successful enough for Formula One to return the following year, and it was also decided that the newly formed World Sportscar Championship would add the track to their schedule as a traditional season-opening event. Following the 1000km Nürburgring the previous year, this would make the Buenos Aires round only the second 1,000 km (621.4 mi) event in the series history.

A 9.5 km (5.9 mi) circuit using long sections of the Avenida General Paz highway attached to the Autodromo section used only by Formula One would be used for the first 1000 km event.[1] In 1955, an even longer section of the Autopista General Pablo Riccheri route would be added, making the circuit 17.1 km (10.6 mi) in length before it returned to its original size once again in 1956.[2] The event would move however in 1957, to the Costanera circuit before returning to the Autodromo in 1958.[3] One final appearance was made by both Formula One and sports cars in 1960 before both chose not to return to Argentina for the time being.

The 1000 km event would return once more in 1970, as a non-championship exhibition round. The Autodromo had been expanded in 1968 to allow for a 6.1 km (3.8 mi) circuit and eliminating the use of public highways.[4] World Championship status would return again in 1971 while Formula One would also test the re-addition of the Argentine Grand Prix by holding their own exhibition race. The circuit would be modified again in 1972, shortening the lap to 6.0 km (3.7 mi) for the sportscars,[5] while the Argentine Grand Prix officially returned to the Formula One calendar where it would stay for nearly a decade. The 1000 km sports car event would however be abandoned after the 1972 running, with the series eliminating several fly-away events in the coming years to cut costs.

In 2017, Turismo Carretera revived the event as one of their Carreras Especiales ("special races") to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the category. This version of the race was held only twice, in 2017 and 2018, with one win apiece going to Ford and Chevrolet.[6]

Winners

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The event was dominated by Ferraris, winning five out of the six runnings in the race's first incarnation before winning the final event once again in 1972. American Phil Hill would be the only driver to win more than once.

Year Drivers Team Car Time Circuit
World Sportscar Championship event
1954   Giuseppe Farina
  Umberto Maglioli
  Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 375 MM 6:41:50.800 Gálvez – Callejero
1955   Enrique Saenz Valiente
  José María Ibáñez
No Team Name Ferrari 375 Plus 6:35:15.400
1956   Stirling Moss
  Carlos Menditeguy
  Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 300S 6:29:37.900
1957   Masten Gregory
  Eugenio Castellotti
  Luigi Musso
  Scuderia Temple Buell Ferrari 290 MM 6:10:29.900 Costanera
1958   Peter Collins
  Phil Hill
  Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa 6:19:55.400 Gálvez – Callejero
1959 No Race
1960   Phil Hill
  Cliff Allison
  Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 250 TR59/60 6:17:12.100 Gálvez – Callejero
1961
to
1969
No Races
1970   Jean-Pierre Beltoise
  Henri Pescarolo
  Equipe Matra Matra-Simca MS630/650 5:37:22.200 Gálvez
1971   Jo Siffert
  Derek Bell
  J.W. Automotive Porsche 917K 5:25:25.940
1972   Ronnie Peterson
  Tim Schenken
  SpA Ferrari SEFAC Ferrari 312 PB 5:45:58.220
1973
to
2016
No Races
Turismo Carretera event
2017   Juan Manuel Silva
  Juan Tomás Catalán Magni
  CM Motorsport Ford Falcon 5:30:55.166 Gálvez
2018   Agustín Canapino
  Federico Alonso
  Martín Ponte
  Jet Racing Chevrolet Coupé SS 5:35:10.931
2019
to
2023
No Races

† - Non-championship event.

References

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  1. ^ "Buenos Aires - 1000 km Circuit (1954, 1956, 1958 & 1960)". Motor Racing Circuits Database. 18 September 2005. Archived from the original on 5 November 2007. Retrieved 19 September 2007.
  2. ^ "Buenos Aires - 1000km Circuit (1955)". Motor Racing Circuits Database. 18 September 2005. Archived from the original on 5 November 2007. Retrieved 19 September 2007.
  3. ^ "Costanera - Buenos Aires 1000 km Circuit (1957)". Motor Racing Circuits Database. 1 October 2002. Archived from the original on 5 November 2007. Retrieved 19 September 2007.
  4. ^ "Buenos Aires - Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez - Circuito #15 (1968–1971)". Motor Racing Circuits Database. 18 September 2005. Archived from the original on 5 November 2007. Retrieved 19 September 2007.
  5. ^ "Buenos Aires - Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez - Circuito #15 (1972–1978)". Motor Racing Circuits Database. 18 September 2005. Archived from the original on 5 November 2007. Retrieved 19 September 2007.
  6. ^ "¿Vuelven los 1000K de Buenos Aires en 2024?" (in Spanish). SoloTC. 15 May 2023.