Oberá

Circuit History

Motor racing took hold in Oberá in the early 1970s, when local enthusiasts alternated between a makeshift rural roads course (nicknamed “Gerardo Gritti” by the pioneers) and temporary circuits like the town aeroclub. A permanent home was finally established on 9 November 1974, when the Automóvil Club Oberá (ACO) opened a compact 800 m dirt track on the city’s outskirts. The original layout quickly grew – first to ~1.3 km, then 2.376 km – eventually settling around 1.542 miles / 2.480 km by the end of the 1970s. For nearly two decades this rustic circuit served as Misiones’ premier motorsport venue, hosting popular club races that became communal events despite the basic facilities.

Misiones' first asphalt circuit

By the early 1990s, the ACO resolved to modernise with asphalt paving, embarking on an ambitious upgrade to meet national racing standards. After much effort, the new bitumen track was inaugurated with fanfare on 4 April 1992, complete with celebratory tents pitched on the fresh pavement for the occasion. The paved circuit featured twelve turns, clockwise direction, and measured approximately 1.695 miles (2.727 km) – making Oberá the first asphalt circuit in Misiones. (Some contemporary reports listed the length as 1.620 miles / 2.607 km, but official figures indicate ~2.727 km.)

The real christening came later that year: on 31 October–1 November 1992 the track hosted the Turismo Competición 2000 championship’s maiden visit to Misiones, drawing a capacity crowd for a landmark weekend. Argentine touring car legend Juan María “El Flaco” Traverso set pole position, and René Zanatta took the race win, as Oberá firmly announced itself on the national stage.

Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Autódromo Ciudad de Oberá became a fixture on touring and formula series calendars. It welcomed categories such as Turismo Nacional, Supercart, Fórmula 3 Sudamericana and Formula Renault, as well as hosting provincial racing and popular drag racing (picadas) events. The circuit’s striking red soil and lush jungle backdrop earned it repeated media accolades as “the most picturesque” track of the region.

Home-grown talents thrived here: local drivers like Carlos Okulovich and Rafael Morgenstern honed their skills at Oberá before becoming national champions in touring and formula series. For a long time, Oberá reigned as Misiones’ primary motorsport hub – until the provincial capital Posadas opened its Autódromo Rosamonte in 1980, eventually drawing some prestige away after a major 2007 upgrade.

Track extends to keep pace

By the mid-2000s, the ACO aimed to keep Oberá relevant with a significant track extension. Work began in 2006 to add more than 1.5 km of new asphalt, creating a faster, longer lap to satisfy modern series’ requirements. The revamped 2.722-mile (4.380 km) course – dubbed Circuito Nº2 – debuted over the weekend of 16–18 November 2007, once again coinciding with a high-profile TC2000 touring car event. (Initial measurements of the extended lap came in at 4.264 km , though later official data rounded it up to 4.380 km .)

The new loop introduced a long sweeping “curvón” and back straight, while the original 1.694-mile (2.726 km) layout remained available as a tighter second variant. Inauguration weekend was dramatic: a torrential downpour on race day flooded parts of the track, forcing support races to be cancelled and nearly scuttling the TC2000 finale. Thankfully the rain eased in time for the main event, allowing Oberá’s big moment to proceed – much to the relief of organizers and soaked fans in attendance.

Oberá’s extension ensured it stayed in the rotation for national championships into the 2010s, hosting series like Súper TC2000, Top Race V6 and Turismo Nacional on an occasional basis. However, the newer Posadas circuit (Autódromo Rosamonte) gradually became the province’s headline venue for major events, especially after 2007 when it was modernised to international standards. The Oberá circuit soldiered on as a beloved if less frequent tour stop, cherished by drivers for its challenge and by spectators for its park-like ambience. A 1.2 km karting track was added on site in late 2019, further diversifying the facility.

Comeback and track upgrades

In 2024 Oberá stepped back into the limelight, with the return of the Turismo Nacional series for the first time in five years. Ahead of the event, the track underwent modifications, with a re-alignment of Turn 13 and the Turn 16 hairpin to create revised profiles and extended run-off areas. Despite this, the official circuit length remains unchanged, though unofficial measurements suggest a shorter length of around 2.624 miles / 4.223km.

This was followed in 2025 by the news that Oberá had secured the return of the TC2000 series, with the category returning for the first time since 2018 as the season opener. Unexpectedly, the circuit was then announced as the host of the third round of the 2025 TCR South America series when renovations at Posadas fell behind schedule, with nearby Oberá tapped up as an able stand-in. It marked the first international-level touring car race at the track in over two decades.

The successful 2025 events reaffirmed Oberá’s importance in Argentine motorsport lore, underlining that even after 50 years the “most picturesque” circuit in the northeast can still deliver world-class racing amid its verdant hills.

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