Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has given a comprehensive update regarding Rwanda winning the rights to host the Formula 1 African Grand Prix starting in the early 2030s. He said South Africa is happy for them, while clarifying that SA will still put in a bid for 2028/2029.
Rwanda signed a 10-year agreement to host the grandest motorsport event earlier this week, with the first race set to take place between 2030 and 2032. The agreement marks a defining moment in F1 history and will see the sport return to Africa for the first time since 1993.
While the public was pleased for the continent, many took a swipe at South Africa after McKenzie had previously oozed confidence that South Africa would become the first African country since 1993 to host F1.
During his previous announcements, McKenzie even stated that they would upgrade the Kyalami track to a world-class venue capable of hosting the finest drivers, including Sir Lewis Hamilton, holder of seven World Drivers' Championship titles and over 100 Grand Prix wins.
Speaking during a media briefing hosted by his office and Safa at the Freedom Park museum in Pretoria on Wednesday, McKenzie addressed the elephant in the room.
“I want to congratulate Rwanda for being awarded a spot on the F1 calendar starting in 2030. We in South Africa are very happy that Rwanda has been awarded a spot,” McKenzie explained.
McKenzie expressed happiness not only for Rwanda, but also for his counterpart, Nelly Mukazayire, who ensured her country won the bidding rights. He firmly dismissed claims that South Africa had lost, emphasising that Rwanda had launched its bid long before his term in office.
“She is a very good friend of mine, and I would like to congratulate her. I've seen many comments saying South Africa was beaten. South Africa was not beaten,” McKenzie said.
“This is not a competition. Rwanda applied years before I even thought I would be Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture. Rwanda has done the work. When I was appointed, I followed what F1 wanted us to do. Applying for a spot on the F1 calendar is not a competition, so Rwanda has not beaten us.”
McKenzie hasn’t thrown in the towel on hosting F1. He declared that South Africa is still targeting 2028 or 2029 – a goal he remains invested in after bringing on major corporate sponsors like MTN, Discovery, Betway, Canal+, and a major bank.
McKenzie clarified that continuing their bid is not meant to take the shine away from Rwanda, but rather to add more African dates to the calendar. He noted that other regions have multiple races, such as the Middle East with four, the US with three, Europe with nine, and Italy hosting two.
He concluded by noting that President Cyril Ramaphosa will visit Abu Dhabi during its F1 race on December 4 to strengthen South Africa's bid, adding that the country's success in hosting LIV Golf should bolster their chances.