Argentine race driver Franco Colapinto celebrated the return of MotoGP to Buenos Aires and spoke of the rumors surrounding a potential Formula 1 return to Argentina, calling it a “dream.” 

The young driver’s words come on the heels of Monday’s announcement that motorbike racing series MotoGP is returning to Buenos Aires. The competition will entail a series of works to repair and improve  the city’s race track, the Autódromo Oscar y Juan Gálvez.

“I think it’s great to have MotoGP back in Buenos Aires,” said Colapinto during the press conference on Thursday ahead of the Belgium GP. “It’s a country full of very passionate fans, and it’s great to see a sport coming back.”

The 22-year-old driver admitted that the renovation works, set to be headed by track designer Hermann Tilke, are “more for a [motorbike] than for a Formula 1 car,” but remained hopeful for the future.

“It would be amazing for the fans and for F1 to see what they can actually achieve there, I would love that,” said Colapinto. “Of course, it’s one of my dreams, but it still looks a little far away. A lot of work has to be done for F1 to go there, but it would be great if in the future it can become a reality.”

Could F1 return to Argentina?

Talks of an F1 return to Buenos Aires have sped up ever since the young driver made his debut in the series back in 2024, with his initial run of good results and charisma spurring a massive interest in the series across the country.

The Argentine Grand Prix was first raced in 1953, when legends such as Juan Manuel Fangio and José Froilán González graced the grid. It was then held intermittently until the final race in 1998. 

Fangio remains the only Argentine to win at home, taking the checkered flag in 1954, 1955, 1956, and 1957. Carlos Reutemann finished on the podium four times, but couldn’t win it despite taking pole position for his debut in 1972.

According to the announcement by Buenos Aires Mayor Jorge Macri, the redevelopment of the Autódromo Oscar y Juan Gálvez will have two phases. The first one set to undertake a complete overhaul of the racetrack, including the track, paddock, pits, and safety zones, with the aim of hosting MotoGP by March 2027.

After that, the second phase of works will begin, looking to transform the area into “the new center of the city,” creating housing, infrastructure, and a new entertainment and logistics hub for more than 700,000 people.