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| - Throughout all of the post-war years through 1960, South America had hosted a series of Temporada races, run under Formula Libre rules. Starting in 1953, this was supplemented by a full Formula One race in most seasons. In 1971, Argentina sought to return to the Formula One world, initially with the required non-championship race.Two weeks previous to this race, during the 1,000km of Buenos Aires sports car race, the Matra of Jean-Pierre Beltoise ran out of fuel just before the Curva de Parga. He started to push the car to the pits, a distance of about 1⁄2 of a kilometer. Unfortunately, it required crossing the track, too. Just after the kink leading onto the pit straight, he tried to cross the track. The Ferrari of Ignazio Giunti appeared, slipstreaming past a local entry. The right front
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| abstract
| - Throughout all of the post-war years through 1960, South America had hosted a series of Temporada races, run under Formula Libre rules. Starting in 1953, this was supplemented by a full Formula One race in most seasons. In 1971, Argentina sought to return to the Formula One world, initially with the required non-championship race.Two weeks previous to this race, during the 1,000km of Buenos Aires sports car race, the Matra of Jean-Pierre Beltoise ran out of fuel just before the Curva de Parga. He started to push the car to the pits, a distance of about 1⁄2 of a kilometer. Unfortunately, it required crossing the track, too. Just after the kink leading onto the pit straight, he tried to cross the track. The Ferrari of Ignazio Giunti appeared, slipstreaming past a local entry. The right front of his car hit the stationary Matra at about 250 km/h, and after the collision coasted about 200m down the track, engulfed in flames. It was more than a minute later when Giunti was pulled from the wreckage, but it was later determined that he had died almost instantly from a basal skull fracture.Beltoise was later arrested, and left the country after posting a bond of £3,000. He would not return for more than two years. In the aftermath, several safety improvements were implemented quickly, and the organizers had a list of several more changes (including circuit modifications) to show to the FIA representatives, who were on hand to judge whether the track would be allowed a championship race in 1972.The withdrawal of Ferrari (and Beltoise fleeing the country) left a disappointing field, which was comprised of 10 Formula One cars of varying ages, three Formula 5000 cars (5.0 liter stock blocks using carburetors) and two Formula A cars (5.0 liter stock blocks using fuel injection). Five of the 15 drivers were from South America.
* Bellasi: Starting money from the Argentine national oil company YPF prompted Silvio Moser to show up with his car, which was unchanged since its last appearance at Monza.
* Brabham: Not entered.
* BRM: Not entered.
* Ferrari: The Scuderia had entered three cars, but the entry was withdrawn after Giunti's death. Much of the spectator interest withered away after that.
* Lotus: The team entered two 72Cs for Emerson Fittipaldi and Reine Wisell, and a spare 49C for Emerson's brother Wilson Fittipaldi. The cars were unchanged from their last appearances.
* March: The factory team was not entered, as the new model 711 was not yet ready. YPF enticed three private teams to enter 701s, including Frank Williams, as De Tomaso had withdrawn from Formula One.
* Matra: The two car entry became one after Beltoise fled the country. Chris Amon spent much of the practice time experimenting with various improvements.
* McLaren: The factory team was not entered, as they were still busy with the new model M19. Starting money plus YPF sponsorship drove Jo Bonnier to enter his mature M7C for local driver Carlos Reutemann, while Bonnier himself drove a Lola Formula 5000 car, also in YPF colors. Three of the five Formula 5000/Formula A cars were McLaren M10Bs.
* Surtees: The team entered the original TS7 for Rolf Stommelen. John Surtees and the rest of the team were busy in England building a second TS7. The team had some possible improvements that they sent along to be tried in Argentina. One of the Formula 5000 cars was a Surtees TS5.
* Tyrrell: Not entered.
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![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)