The Oscar y Juan Gálvez Autodrome is undergoing a complete renovation in preparation for the return of MotoGP and the dream of once again hosting Formula 1 in Buenos Aires. Construction is already 60% complete, and we’ll give you all the details on the new circuit designed by Hermann Tilke.
The dream of hosting Formula 1 in Buenos Aires gained even more momentum after Franco Colapinto’s exhibition in Palermo in front of more than 600,000 people. With its sights set on positioning Buenos Aires as the World Capital of Sports in 2027, the city is moving steadily forward with the comprehensive renovation of the Villa Riachuelo racetrack.
Construction in two phases: the track ready for the FIM and the FIA
The renovation project designed by Tilke Engineers & Architects (the same firm behind the F1 circuits in Shanghai, Bahrain, and Austin) is structured around two main objectives:
👉 Phase 1 (FIM Certification): This certifies the circuit to host MotoGP in 2027, the premier class of world motorcycle racing.
👉 Phase 2 (FIA Grade 1 Certification): the essential requirement for Formula 1 cars to return to Buenos Aires after the last race held there in 1998.
What the new track at the Autódromo de Buenos Aires will look like
The track combines the history of the Gálvez circuit with modern features adapted to the highest international safety standards:
👉 F1 Track Length: The full track is nearly 5,000 meters (5 km) long.
👉 MotoGP layout: a 4.3-kilometer circuit with 14 turns.
👉 Top speed: Cars can reach up to 340 km/h on the main straight.
👉 Track width: starts at a minimum of 12 meters, widening to 15 meters on the main straight and reaching 18 meters at Turn 1.
👉 Goodbye, Curvón Salotto: The track will no longer be used due to safety concerns for motorcycles, making way for variations featuring new hairpin turns and internal shortcuts.
👉 New sections: The circuit extends over the area of the current go-kart track (which will be relocated within the 189-hectare site) to lengthen the opposite straight.
What construction projects have already been completed, and what is currently under construction?
Construction on the site is already 60% complete, and the transformation is evident in various sections of the track:
👉 The tunnel beneath the track connecting the entrance on Av. Roca to the paddock area has already been completed.
👉 The grandstands at the old “horquilla” section have been dismantled and demolished.
👉 Work is underway on the Race Control building, the expansion of the pit lane, a new pit wall, and the sewer system.
👉 Creation of a 360° panoramic paddock and 29 grandstands to bring the total capacity to 150,000 spectators (more than double the historic capacity).
This plan aims to put Argentina back in the spotlight of international motorsports and get the Autódromo de Buenos Aires ready to welcome the roar of the engines in 2027. Will F1 come to Buenos Aires?
