Formula 1 announced it will return to Africa with a new Grand Prix in Rwanda starting in the early 2030s, ending the sport’s roughly 40-year absence from the continent. The race will run on a new circuit in Bugesera, southeast of the capital Kigali, under a 10-year contract, according to the Associated Press.
The announcement marks the first F1 race on African soil since the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami Circuit on March 14, 1993, Car and Driver reported.
What Was Announced
F1 President and chief executive Stefano Domenicali called the deal a major step for the sport’s global reach. “Today is a landmark moment for Formula 1,” Domenicali said. “With Rwanda joining the calendar from the next decade our sport will race in every inhabited continent, bringing the world championship closer than ever to fans around the globe. Africa has always been part of Formula 1’s future, and from the beginning we were determined to return in the right way, with the right partner, a long-term commitment and a clear vision for creating meaningful impact.”
Rwandan President Paul Kagame spoke at a launch event in Kigali, framing the race as a win for the continent beyond Rwanda’s borders. “This partnership is long overdue,” Kagame said. “But it is a success and a milestone for the entire continent, especially for the African fans. What we want is for the African Grand Prix to pave the way for other races to be hosted on the continent.”
The new Bugesera circuit will measure roughly four miles with 17 turns, according to Car and Driver. Track designer Alex Wurz and his design team, WurzDesign, built the layout to draw on elements of Spa-Francorchamps and Suzuka, two circuits known for elevation changes and flowing corners. The AP reported the track will use the hills and dips of the Bugesera landscape to challenge drivers and will be built near an under-construction airport that serves Kigali.
What It Means For F1 Rwanda Grand Prix Fans
Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion and the only Black driver on the current F1 grid, has pushed for years to bring a race to Africa, according to the AP. The Rwanda deal delivers on that long-running push and gives F1 a presence on every inhabited continent for the first time.
South Africa Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie said his country will also land an F1 race eventually, pointing out that Italy hosts two Grands Prix a year despite being a single country, the AP reported. That suggests Rwanda’s race could be the first of multiple African stops rather than the continent’s only one, though no second African race has been confirmed.
Background
South Africa’s Kyalami Circuit hosted the continent’s last F1 race in 1993. The sport has expanded its calendar across other continents since then but had not returned to Africa until Tuesday’s announcement.
What’s Next
F1 has not specified an exact year within the early 2030s for the first Rwanda race, and no details on construction progress, project cost or remaining government approvals have been released. The 10-year contract sets the race on the calendar once built, but further timeline details depend on future announcements from F1 and Rwandan officials.
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