1971 Argentine Grand Prix

1971 Argentine Grand Prix
Non-championship race in the 1971 Formula One season
Race details
Date 24 January 1971
Official name VIII Gran Premio de la Republica Argentina
Location Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez, Buenos Aires
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 3.41 km (2.12 miles)
Distance 50 x 2 laps, 341.045 km (211.9 miles)
Weather Fine, cool
Pole position
Driver Surtees-Cosworth
Time 1:15.85
Fastest lap
Driver New Zealand Chris Amon Matra
Time 1:15.05
Podium
First Matra
Second March-Cosworth
Third McLaren-Cosworth

The 1971 Argentine Grand Prix was a motor race consisting of a Formula One class and a Formula 5000 class, held at the Buenos Aires circuit in Buenos Aires on 24 January 1971. The Formula One class was not part of the FIA Formula One World Championship.

This event was held because at that time the FIA regulations required a demonstration race to be held as a quality check, before a Grand Prix could be admitted as part of the World Championship. The race was run over two heats of 50 laps each, the final results being an aggregate of the two.

Scuderia Ferrari had entered three cars for this event, but they were withdrawn after the fatal accident suffered by Ignazio Giunti in a sports car race two weeks previously. Jean-Pierre Beltoise was also involved in that accident, and as a consequence had his international license suspended, and was unable to compete.