The momentum for bringing an IndyCar event to South America gained traction towards the end of last year, as expressed by Miles to Motorsport.com in November, affirming that progress was underway.
Plans were being formulated to organize a non-points race at Autódromo Termas de Rio Hondo, located in the province of Santiago del Estero, during the autumn of 2024, following the conclusion of the championship season.
It came to light that Ricardo Juncos, co-owner of Juncos Hollinger Racing, was involved in a private consortium collaborating with the local government to promote the introduction of IndyCar racing to his homeland.
Juncos initiated the process by generating interest, having organized an exhibition event in November 2022 with his team and Agustin Canapino, a prominent figure in the country’s touring car series who had yet to transition to IndyCar full-time.
Subsequent discussions progressed rapidly, culminating in Miles and other key figures from Penske’s leadership visiting the venue in March of the following year to assess its suitability.
While the prospects of North America’s premier open-wheel championship hosting an event beyond its continental borders since São Paulo in 2013 seemed promising, a decision was made to temporarily halt efforts until the conclusion of the mid-November presidential election, which saw libertarian economist Javier Milei elected to office.
At the time, Miles emphasized that the election outcome should not dictate the feasibility of the endeavor.
However, recent developments have presented challenges.
The economic challenges Argentina faced resulted in government cutbacks under the new administration.
Consequently, MotoGP recently announced the cancellation of its scheduled round at Autódromo Termas de Rio Hondo in April, as the event relied heavily on government funding.
During a media briefing focused primarily on the alterations to the 2024 season finale in Nashville, Miles provided an update on IndyCar’s prospects in Argentina.
“Observers have noted the current difficulties in conducting business in Argentina, so I don’t believe it’s a viable option for this year,” Miles stated.
“I believe everyone recognizes that Ricardo Juncos has been a staunch advocate and potential promoter if an event in Argentina were feasible. He is currently on the ground assessing the situation, engaging with elected officials and policymakers.
“It remains an ongoing dialogue, but I don’t think it’s realistic for 2024.”