Formula 1 is making significant strides towards potentially hosting a Grand Prix in Africa, with Rwanda emerging as a serious candidate.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has confirmed talks with Rwanda over hosting a Formula 1 race, marking a huge shift in the conversation about the sport’s return to the African continent.
The last F1 race held in Africa was the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami, but ever since, the sport has overlooked the continent in its global expansion plans which has sparked speculation in recent months with Lewis Hamilton being particularly vocal in support of a possible return.
However, a return to South Africa remains in doubt as F1 executives find themselves in an untenable situation due to the current regime’s connections to Russia which got its Grand Prix event scrapped off the calendar due to the ongoing war with Ukraine.
Additionally, a lot of work would have to be done to upgrade the Kyalami Circuit to the standards required to host a modern day F1 race.
Now, another African nation has joined the fray after Domenicali confirmed Rwanda’s interest as “serious” and acknowledged that meetings were scheduled to address the event’s logistics in an interview with Motorsport.com.
“They are serious,” Domenicali explained. “They have presented a good plan and actually we have a meeting with them at the end of September. It will be on a permanent track.”
The CEO also emphasized on the importance of having the right investments and strategic planning in place.
“We want to go to Africa, but we need to have the right investment, and the right strategic plan,” he stated. “We need to have the right moment, and we need to make sure that also in that country, in that region, in that continent, there is the right welcoming, because, of course, they have other priorities.
“We need to be always very careful in making the right choices.”
This comes as the country prepares to host two major FIA events in December 2024, including the FIA Annual General Assembly and the Prize Giving Ceremony in its capital, Kigali.
Additionally, representatives of the Rwanda Development Board traveled to the Monaco Grand Prix this year to meet with the FIA, demonstrating the country’s growing interest in motor racing.
While F1 zeroes in on Rwanda, South Africa is not giving up on their dream of hosting a Grand Prix again. The country’s sport, arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie social media platform
“I have set up meetings with relevant people already,” McKenzie posted on X.
“My term will be a failure if I don’t bring one of the biggest sporting tourist events to South Africa which is F1. Our first meeting is end of August in Monaco.”
A Thailand Grand Prix is another anticipated addition to the schedule in the upcoming years, as the Thai government is strongly pressing for its inclusion.
After the Singapore Grand Prix this year, Domenicali stated he will visit the nation to assess the most recent developments regarding the project, which was initially intended to be a street race around Bangkok but may possibly take a different form.
