The circuit was constructed on reclaimed swampland and quickly became Argentina's premier motorsport facility. Following political changes, the circuit underwent several name changes before being dedicated to legendary Argentine racing brothers Oscar Alfredo Gálvez (1913–1989) and Juan Gálvez (1916–1963), who were icons in the Turismo Carretera championship. The name was updated in 2008 to include Juan Gálvez.
The Autódromo is situated on flat land, surrounded by large grandstands that offer spectators extensive views of the track. Its design allows for more than 15 different configurations, some of which bypass the tight infield section to increase average speeds and reduce lap times. Historically, some layouts featured long, high-speed straights where Formula One cars would run flat-out for extended periods.
The Autódromo Oscar y Juan Gálvez hosted the Argentine Grand Prix, a Formula One World Championship event, from 1953 to 1998. The first Argentine Grand Prix in 1953 marked Argentina's debut on the Formula One calendar. The circuit utilized various configurations for Formula One races, including the No. 2 circuit in the 1950s, the No. 9 circuit from 1971–1973, and the No. 15 layout from 1974–1981. The No. 15 layout was notable for its two long straights and a sweeping third corner, where cars could remain at full throttle for approximately 40 seconds, reaching speeds near 305 km/h. The Argentine Grand Prix was dropped from the 1982 calendar due to Argentina's invasion of the Falkland Islands. It returned in the 1990s, using the twistier No. 6 configuration with the Senna S chicane from 1995–1998, a layout that was not popular with Formula One teams. The official Formula One lap record for the No. 6 configuration is 1:27.981, set by Gerhard Berger in a Benetton B197 during the 1997 Argentine Grand Prix.
The circuit also hosted the 1000 km Buenos Aires sports car event, which from 1954 to 1960 incorporated sections of public highway near the track. Later editions of this race, from 1970 to 1972, used only the permanent Autódromo layout. The Buenos Aires Grand Prix was held at the Autódromo from 1952 to 2009.
Ten Argentine motorcycle Grand Prix races were held at the Autódromo between 1961 and 1999. Plans are underway for a major redevelopment program to bring the track to FIA Grade 2 (and potentially Grade 1) standards for a scheduled return of MotoGP in 2027. The Autódromo continues to host major national championships, including Turismo Carretera, TC2000, and Top Race.
In addition to motorsport, the Autódromo has hosted music events. The Creamfields festival was held at the circuit in 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2011, featuring artists such as The Chemical Brothers, Carl Cox, and Deadmau5.
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