‘Serious’ African Grand Prix host nation emerges with key meeting booked

Entrance to the Formula 1 paddock.

Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali confirmed there is “serious” interest from Rwanda to facilitate an African Grand Prix, with a meeting coming next month.

A rapid popularity surge for Formula 1 in recent years has resulted in a spike of promoters wanting a place on the calendar, with various new additions, such as the Saudi Arabian, Qatar, Miami and Las Vegas GPs in recent years. The Spanish Grand Prix meanwhile is set to move to Madrid in 2026.

African Grand Prix: Rwanda to host F1’s return to Africa?

Despite the calendar expansion, one goal which remains unachieved for F1 thus far is to go racing in Africa once more, having not done so since the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami.

Two of Formula 1’s leading drivers, multi-time World Champions Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, have both advocated for F1 to return to Africa.

“The place that I really feel, to my heart, is most important to me is to get a race back in South Africa,” said Hamilton back in 2021. “I think it would be great to highlight how beautiful the motherland is.”

Verstappen agreed, saying: “I really think we need a race in Africa. We basically race on every other continent already, so I think that’s the next step for Formula 1.”

Kyalami had been in the frame for an F1 return, but now, Rwanda has emerged as a “serious” option, with F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali confirming a meeting will take place late in September to discuss the project.

“They are serious,” Domenicali told Autosport.

“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.

“We want to go to Africa, but we need to have the right investment, and the right strategic plan.

“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.”

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Rwanda is not the only prospective F1 host nation which has a meeting with Domenicali pencilled in, as after the Singapore Grand Prix on September 22, he will travel to Thailand’s capital Bangkok to further discuss their intentions to join the F1 calendar in future.

“With Bangkok, we have different options on the table,” said Domenicali, a tease that the proposed street track could give way to a different style of venue. “I am going to be in Bangkok after Singapore to go through this.”

Rwanda is already confirmed as the host for two major 2024 FIA events – the governing body of Formula 1 – those being the FIA Annual General Assembly and Prize Giving Ceremony, which will take place in Rwanda’s capital Kigali in December.

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