1000 km Buenos Aires

The 1000 km Buenos Aires was an endurance sports car event held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The race mostly run on the Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez, although it would run 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.

Circuit Callejero - Buenos Aires 1000km (1954)
Circuit Callejero - Buenos Aires 1000km (1957)
Circuit Costanera Norte - Buenos Aires 1000 km (1957)
Circuit-galvez-1968-No15

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 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.

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
1954 Giuseppe Farina
Umberto Maglioli		 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 375 MM 6:41:50.800 9.5 km
1955 Enrique Saenz Valiente
José María Ibáñez		 No Team Name Ferrari 375 Plus 6:35:15.400 17.1 km
1956 Stirling Moss
Carlos Menditeguy		 Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 300S 6:29:37.900 9.5 km
1957 Masten Gregory
Eugenio Castellotti
Luigi Musso		 Scuderia Temple Buell Ferrari 290 MM 6:10:29.900 10.2 km
(Costanera)
1958 Peter Collins
Phil Hill		 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa 6:19:55.400 9.5 km
1959 No Race
1960 Phil Hill
Cliff Allison		 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 250 TR59/60 6:17:12.100 9.5 km
1961
to
1969		 No Races
1970† Jean-Pierre Beltoise
Henri Pescarolo		 Equipe Matra Matra-Simca MS630/650 5:37:22.200 6.1 km
1971 Jo Siffert
Derek Bell		 J.W. Automotive Porsche 917K 5:25:25.940 6.1 km
1972 Ronnie Peterson
Tim Schenken		 SpA Ferrari SEFAC Ferrari 312 PB 5:45:58.220 6.0 km

† - Non-championship event.

References
  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.
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