Rwanda to bring Formula One back to Africa after 33-year absence

Africa is set to return to the Formula One calendar for the first time in more than three decades, with Rwanda securing a 10-year agreement to host a Grand Prix from the early 2030s.

Formula One announced the development on Tuesday following discussions involving the sport’s chief executive, Stefano Domenicali; Rwandan President Paul Kagame; and International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Mohammed Ben Sulayem in Kigali.

The agreement marks a significant step towards restoring Africa’s place on the world’s premier motorsport calendar, with the continent last hosting a Formula One race in 1993 at the Kyalami circuit near Johannesburg, South Africa.

According to Reuters, Formula One has been seeking a route back to Africa for years, and Rwanda’s agreement represents a major breakthrough in those efforts.

“Today is a landmark moment for Formula One,” Domenicali said at the announcement.

“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 One’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.”

Rwanda’s bid to host a Formula One race was announced by Kagame in December 2024, with plans for a purpose-built circuit near Bugesera International Airport, which is under construction approximately 40 kilometres south of Kigali.

The proposed venue is expected to meet the FIA’s Grade One requirements, the highest circuit classification needed to host a Formula One Grand Prix.

The circuit is projected to be completed in the early 2030s, ahead of the country’s anticipated debut on the championship calendar.

If the plans proceed as expected, Rwanda will become the third African country to host a round of the Formula One World Championship, which began in 1950.

South Africa has hosted multiple races, while Morocco staged a Grand Prix outside Casablanca in 1958.

The agreement is expected to extend beyond the sporting spectacle, with Formula One highlighting the potential economic and social benefits associated with tourism, investment, and international exposure.

Domenicali also pointed to the continent’s growing fan base, describing the planned return as an important moment for supporters across Africa.

“For our fans this is an especially exciting moment,” he said. “Africa is home to more than 100 million Formula One fans, and that number continues to grow rapidly.”

Hosting a Grand Prix could give Rwanda an opportunity to strengthen its international profile, attract visitors, and encourage investment in infrastructure and tourism-related businesses.

However, the project’s delivery will depend on the completion of the planned circuit and the necessary preparations to meet Formula One’s hosting requirements.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has repeatedly called for Formula One to return to Africa, arguing that the continent deserves a place on the championship calendar.

The Ferrari driver, who has long advocated for an African Grand Prix, reiterated his position while speaking to reporters in Singapore last weekend.

“I've always said that we need to have a Grand Prix in Africa. It is, for me, the most important continent and the most beautiful continent. We're on all the other continents but that one, and there should be no reason for it,” Hamilton said.

His comments underline the longstanding calls from drivers and fans for Formula One to expand its global footprint by returning to the continent.

Rwanda’s agreement does not necessarily end South Africa’s ambitions to bring Formula One back to the country.

South Africa has been pursuing its own bid, with Cape Town and the historic Kyalami circuit among the potential venues discussed.

Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie recently welcomed Rwanda’s progress, acknowledging the work the East African country had undertaken to secure the opportunity.

“We are happy for Rwanda's 2030 F1,” McKenzie wrote on X last week amid reports that an announcement was imminent. “They have worked on it longer than SA and deserve it.”

He also argued that Africa should not be viewed as a continent capable of hosting only one Grand Prix, pointing to countries such as Italy that have hosted two races in a single season.

South Africa could therefore continue pursuing a separate race, depending on Formula One’s future calendar plans and the feasibility of its proposal.

Rwanda’s 10-year agreement represents a major milestone in Formula One’s efforts to return to Africa, potentially opening a new chapter for motorsport on the continent.

With a proposed purpose-built circuit, support from the Rwandan government and growing interest from fans, the country is positioning itself as a future destination for one of the world’s most prominent sporting events.

The planned Grand Prix could also boost Rwanda’s tourism and investment ambitions while providing African fans with a race closer to home.

For now, attention will turn to the development of the circuit and the preparations needed to deliver Formula One’s long-awaited return to Africa in the early 2030s.