Formula 1 is officially returning to Africa, but many of the details are still to be confirmed. The sport has announced a landmark 10-year agreement to bring racing to Rwanda for the African Grand Prix. However, the start date and logistics are entirely unknown at this time.
The sport last raced on the continent in 1993 at the Kyalami circuit in South Africa, near Johannesburg, and has fought its way back to the continent since. With the help of Visit Rwanda, President Paul Kagame called today's announcement a day that "belongs to Africa."
Rwanda will become the third African country to host a Formula 1 championship race, with Morocco in 1958 and Kyalami (South Africa) from 1967-1985 and 1992-1993. The announcement settles a question that Grand Prix on SI posed last year: Would F1 actually return to Africa, and which nation would actually get there first?
The African Grand Prix in 2030(ish)
Although F1 fans have confirmation that the sport will race in Africa, many of the other details are unclear. However, the track has been selected. The race will take place on a 'purpose-built' circuit in Bugesera, Rwanda, a town just south of Kigali and its new international airport.
Similar to the Madring and new Spanish Grand Prix, this track will be built from scratch to meet FIA Grade 1 standards and fit into a larger project hosted by the Rwanda Development Board. This rumor of a sports, tourism, infrastructure, and development project in Rwanda has persisted for many years.
The track will be a collaboration between the Rwanda Development Board and former F1 driver Alex Wurz, through his company, WurzDesign. They have hinted that the track will make use of elevation changes and the natural Rwandan landscape to create a challenging course when the time comes.
What F1 and the FIA haven't given is something just as important as the location, though: a date. They haven't even given a year, just a decade. The 10-year agreement will begin in the 2030(s), but 'when?' is an entirely different question. With a 24-round F1 calendar and new races in Portugal and Turkey in 2027, the question also becomes... which race will Africa replace?
The business case, though, has always been strong. F1's Lawrence Barretto reports there are more than 100 million fans following the sport in Africa under the age of 35. For a sport that has focused so intensely on building in 'new markets' and marketing to younger fans, the recipe has been followed to the letter.
Where Rwanda Won Over South Africa and Kyalami
In October 2025, the contest between Rwanda and South Africa looked very different. South Africa had emerged as a front-runner thanks to upgrades at Kyalami. Sports, Arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie had sought over $100 million pledges from six firms. It was also reported that the FIA approved plans for Kyalami to upgrade to Grade 1 certification.
Rwanda, though, had quietly prepared for this moment, too. With a little help from the FIA, too. Kagame formally announced their bid just before the FIA prize-giving in December 2024. It was widely noted that this was a symbolic move by the governing body to indicate a race was needed in Africa.
Stefano Domenicali, President of F1, told the press that this moment is truly about growth and bringing something 'new' to the continent and to the sport.
"This is about much more than hosting a Grand Prix. Together, we can create lasting economic and social benefits through tourism, investment, skills development and local business growth, ensuring the positive impact of this event is felt for generations."
Stefano Domenicali, President, F1
Despite the uncertainty around many details of the event, a return to Africa was considered long overdue. Its entry into the calendar in the 2030s will mark more than just a new race; it will mark F1's dedication to growing alongside a new country.
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