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.
History 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 event in the series history.
A 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. In 1955, an even longer section of the Autopista General Pablo Riccheri route would be added, making the circuit in length before it returned to its original size once again in 1956. The event would move however in 1957, to the Costanera circuit before returning to the Autodromo in 1958. 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 circuit and eliminating the use of public highways. 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 for the sportscars, 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.
Winners 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 1961to1969 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 1973to2016 No Races Turismo Carretera event 2017 Juan Manuel Silva CM Motorsport Ford Falcon TC 5:30:55.166 Gálvez 2018 Agustín Canapino Federico Alonso Martín Ponte Jet Racing Chevrolet Coupé SS 5:35:10.931 2019to2025 No Races
† - Non-championship event.
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