Formula 1 announces return to Africa with Grand Prix in Rwanda in early 2030s

KIGALI, Rwanda — Rwanda will host a Formula 1 race from “the early 2030s” when the series returns to Africa after about 40 years. The African Grand Prix will have a 10-year contract and take place at a track in Bugesera, southeast of the capital Kigali, F1 said on Tuesday. The purpose-built track will be ready “early in the next decade.” “This partnership is long overdue,” Rwandan President Paul Kagame said at a launch event in Kigali. “But it is a success and a milestone for the entire continent, especially for the African fans. Ultimately, what we want is for the African Grand Prix to pave the way for other races to be hosted on the continent.” Racing in Africa will fulfil a long-held ambition for seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, the only Black driver in F1. The 41-year-old British driver has said he has been “fighting in the background” for years to have a race in Africa. The last time F1 raced in Africa was the South African Grand Prix in 1993. “Today is a landmark moment for Formula 1," F1 President and chief executive Stefano Domenicali said. "With R