OCTOBER 30, 1995
Argentina GP doubts in 1996
THE future of the Argentine Grand Prix in Buenos Aires seems to be in some doubt at the moment with the volatile peso being only part of the problem.
Formula 1 returned to Argentina this year and despite terrible weather the race was a success although the raison d'?tre of the event was hard to explain.
The race had received considerable support from Argentina's president Carlos Menem - who had been trying to get racing back to the country since he came to power in 1989. Menem's son Carlos Menem Jr competed in international rallying and had ambitions to become a top racing driver.
Menem Sr was the man who raised the money to reconstruct the Autodromo Municipal Oscar Alfredo Galvez in Buenos Aires and a lot of this was so that his son could benefit. Sadly, Menem Jr was killed in March this year when the helicopter he was piloting flew into power lines near Buenos Aires.
In addition to these problems, Argentina has this year lost racing legend Juan-Manuel Fangio who died in July at the age of 84.