FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem supports the plans of Argentine President Javier Milei to eventually bring Formula 1 to Buenos Aires. The Emirati was present this week at the FIA congress in Argentina, where Milei actively lobbied for a spot on the F1 calendar. According to Ben Sulayem, the country, which has already invested heavily in the national circuit ahead of the MotoGP arrival, deserves to host Formula 1.
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During his visit to Argentina, Ben Sulayem visited the Autódromo Oscar y Juan Gálvez. The circuit hosted twenty Grands Prix between 1953 and 1998, but since then Formula 1 has disappeared from Buenos Aires. However, in 2027 the MotoGP will come to the historic track. To accommodate the motorcycle championship, significant investments have already been made in the circuit and associated facilities. The FIA president was impressed by the developments.
“Today I saw the Formula 1 circuit,” Ben Sulayem said in a speech to the press. “There is significant investment. I know that next year there will be MotoGP. And the design is by Hermann Tilke, one of the most prominent circuit designers.” A large part of the current F1 circuits was designed by the German, including Istanbul Park in Turkey, Sepang in Malaysia, COTA in the United States, and the Bahrain International Circuit in Bahrain.
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Overcrowded F1 calendar
“This gives us as the FIA and of course also the FOM, Mr. Domenicali, a clear signal that Argentina is serious,” Ben Sulayem continued meaningfully. “Can Argentina organize an F1 race? Yes. Do they deserve it? I would say yes. But we already have 24 Grands Prix on the calendar. We can make it 25, but that is extremely difficult; that will depend on the officials and the drivers.” Several F1 figures, including many drivers, have already indicated that the F1 calendar cannot expand further.
“So for us, it is a matter of the calendar,” the FIA president admitted. “It is a matter of a business plan for at least five years. But you people here, the government, take it seriously. And it is also my responsibility, because if I give my word, I keep it. I will ensure that the right message is conveyed before the meetings begin. Rest assured, you have my support.”
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