The Argentine Grand Prix returned to the calendar after the 1976 edition was cancelled amid a combination of legal disputes between constructors and organisers, severe peso inflation, and political instability under the Perón government. The race was run on the 5.81 km Circuit 15 configuration of the autodromo, which had been adopted from 1974 onwards. The Buenos Aires circuit is a complex of interlocking infield loops with a long history of Formula One hosting stretching back to 1953.
Considerable squabbling between the Formula One Constructors Association, the CSI, and a commercial organisation called World Championship Racing had characterised the winter leading up to the race, creating uncertainty over whether the event would go ahead. Ultimately the Automóvil Club Argentina concluded its agreement and the race proceeded. Reigning world champion James Hunt arrived to defend his title with McLaren, while Niki Lauda had moved from Ferrari. Carlos Reutemann, the local favourite, was now at Ferrari as Lauda's teammate. The Walter Wolf Racing team, founded by Canadian businessman Walter Wolf and run by Peter Warr, was making its Formula One World Championship debut.
James Hunt claimed pole position for McLaren-Ford in a time of 1:48.68. Compatriot John Watson shared the front row in the Brabham-Alfa Romeo at 1:48.96. Patrick Depailler in the distinctive six-wheeled Tyrrell-Ford qualified third at 1:49.13, with Niki Lauda fourth in the Ferrari at 1:49.73. Jochen Mass was fifth for McLaren and Carlos Pace sixth in the second Brabham-Alfa Romeo. Carlos Reutemann qualified seventh for Ferrari, and Mario Andretti was eighth for Lotus-Ford. Jody Scheckter qualified eleventh for the Walter Wolf Racing team at 1:50.76.
Watson took the lead at the start with Hunt second. Watson led for the first ten laps before Hunt moved ahead and began to pull away, with Andretti's Lotus running third. Jochen Mass in the second McLaren moved through to take third, but Mass retired soon after with engine failure following a spin. A suspension failure ended Hunt's race three laps later on lap 31, handing the lead back to Watson.
Watson led again but also suffered suspension failure and relinquished position to teammate Carlos Pace. Pace led in the closing stages but struggled badly with cockpit heat. Scheckter's Wolf worked its way forward from eleventh on the grid, and as Pace's pace dropped Scheckter slipped through to take the lead. Andretti, who had been running in a points position, retired on lap 51 with a wheel bearing failure. Scheckter held on to complete all 53 laps in 1 hour 40 minutes 11.19 seconds. Pace finished 43.24 seconds behind in second, with Reutemann third for Ferrari at 46.02 seconds, to the delight of the home crowd. Emerson Fittipaldi came fourth in his own Copersucar-Ford team's car, and Andretti was classified fifth despite his non-finish. Clay Regazzoni took sixth for Ensign-Ford.
James Hunt, despite retiring, set the fastest race lap: 1:51.06 on lap 21.
Scheckter's victory gave Walter Wolf Racing a winning debut in its very first Formula One World Championship race start — one of the most immediate entries into the winner's list in the sport's history. The Wolf-Ford also became the first Canadian constructor to win a Grand Prix. Scheckter had qualified only eleventh and advanced to the lead through attrition and consistent pace, but the result was nonetheless comprehensive; the car was genuinely competitive. The race was also a salutary start to the season for the two championship favourites: Hunt and Watson both failed to finish after appearing to dominate the early stages, each falling victim to suspension failures.
After the race, the Drivers' Championship standings placed Scheckter on 9 points, Pace on 6, Reutemann on 4, Fittipaldi on 3, and Andretti on 2.
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