A YouTuber named ‘Nukedrop’ has made an educated guess about prepping up the new African GP circuit on Assetto Corsa.
Earlier in the week, F1announced the return of the African GP by the early 2030s in Rwanda, where they will build a permanent track, hosting not just Formula 1, but also competitions like MotoGP and the World Endurance Championship in the future.
They have no set date as of now but are going with the early 2030s timeframe. They named it the African GP, which holds a larger commercial value than regional Rwanda. A proper circuit image is yet to be released, with only a little information shared.
Designers Alexander Wurz and Carsten Tilke shed some light on the 17-corner circuit, which will have the highest level of elevation change throughout a lap. The natural topography is what convinced them to pin the area in Bugesera.
The upcoming Kigali International Airport is key for the circuit. With the limited information at hand, YouTuber Nukedrop used the single preview image to create a 4.65-km circuit on Assetto Corsa, based on an educated guess.
He explained the use of satellite imagery to pinpoint the upcoming airport and locate the area of the circuit. From there, he built the circuit using the information shared by Wurz and Tilke, with a huge amount of elevation change.
NukeDrop Explains How He Made the F1 Circuit
“Using that single preview image as my circuit reference, I’ve spent the last 24 or so hours making a ‘best guess’ version for Assetto Corsa,” Nukedrop explained. “It measures 4.65 km, with approximately 70 meters between the highest and lowest points of the racing line. There are some massive climbs and drops.
“The first challenge was working out where it belonged. Matching the airport visible in the background to satellite imagery gave me a starting point, then perspective alignment helped translate the angled render into a layout I could build. The surrounding landscape uses satellite imagery and elevation data, extending out towards the distant hills.
“From there, I’ve built up the circuit and its surroundings: the colorful striped run-off areas, yellow-and-white curbs, lakeside sections, barriers, service roads and bridges. The distinctive grandstands with their joined funnel-shaped roofs were modeled from the preview, alongside pit garages. There’s no proper pit building in place, as I really couldn’t make it out from the one angle we have.
“There’s plenty of stuff happening around the circuit too: grandstand and infield crowds, 3D trees, working TV screens, LED flag panels and start lights all work well. A plane, a flock of birds and a helicopter all use the systems from Pikes Peak to add a bit of life to the track.
“The track has an AI racing line and replay cameras so you can race up to 51 other cars. It’s an interpretation of that first image, with plenty of educated guesses about scale, elevation and details hidden from view. As more information appears I’ll revisit the project.”