Formula One will return to Africa in the early 2030s, with Rwanda set to host the African Grand Prix under a 10-year agreement that ends the continent's absence from the world championship since 1993.
Formula One announced the agreement Tuesday in Kigali, with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Formula One President and CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem attending the announcement.
The race, officially named the Formula One African Grand Prix, presented by Visit Rwanda, will take place at a purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of the capital, Kigali.
Construction of the new track is expected to be completed early in the next decade. Organizers have yet to confirm the inaugural race date, development milestones or details of the race weekend.
The circuit will be built to FIA Grade 1 standards, the highest certification required to host Formula One races, as part of a broader sports, tourism, infrastructure and commercial development project led by the Rwanda Development Board.
Located next to the new Kigali International Airport, the venue is designed to incorporate the region's natural landscape and elevation changes, creating a flowing, technically demanding track with opportunities for spectators to follow the action.
Former Formula One driver Alexander Wurz's WurzDesign firm is involved in the circuit's design alongside the Tilke engineering group, known for designing and developing international motorsport venues.
Beyond Formula One, the facility is intended to host other international motorsport competitions, conferences, entertainment and major events throughout the year, with Rwanda seeking to generate lasting economic benefits beyond race weekends.
33-year absence from Africa
The agreement marks Formula One's first return to the African continent since the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami, near Johannesburg.
Frenchman Alain Prost won that race for Williams-Renault from pole position, finishing ahead of Brazil's Ayrton Senna, who drove for McLaren-Ford. Britain's Mark Blundell completed the podium for Ligier-Renault.
South Africa hosted Formula One races for decades, primarily at Kyalami, but the event disappeared from the calendar after 1993 amid financial difficulties and the rising costs of staging a Grand Prix.
Morocco previously hosted a world championship race near Casablanca in 1958, while South Africa remains the most recent African country to stage a Formula One Grand Prix.
Rwanda's agreement follows years of discussions about restoring Formula One to Africa, which has remained the only inhabited continent without a race for more than three decades.
The country formally stepped up its efforts in 2024 when Kigali hosted the FIA General Assemblies and awards ceremony, bringing together senior figures from international motorsport.
Rwanda has also sought to establish itself as a destination for major international sporting events, including the UCI Road World Championships and the Basketball Africa League.
Rwanda targets investment and new opportunities
Formula One sees Africa as a major growth market, with more than 100 million fans across the continent. Almost 60% of fans in key sub-Saharan African markets are younger than 35, according to the championship.
Domenicali described the agreement as a landmark for the sport, saying Rwanda's addition would allow Formula One to race on every inhabited continent.
" 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," Domenicali said.
He said the project would seek to deliver lasting benefits through tourism, investment, skills development and local business growth, while bringing the championship closer to African fans.
Kagame welcomed the agreement as an opportunity to give African fans greater access to the sport and create pathways for young people interested in motorsport careers.
"Today belongs to Africa," Kagame said. "For more than three decades, the world's premier motorsport championship has raced without this continent, and that changes with this agreement."
He said the partnership would extend beyond hosting a race, with the circuit and neighboring airport expected to support job creation, tourism, skills development and new business opportunities in Rwanda and the wider region.
The government hopes the project will also encourage more young Africans to pursue careers as engineers, technicians, entrepreneurs and racing drivers.
Ben Sulayem said Formula One's return represented an important step in the global development of motorsport and praised Rwanda's commitment to delivering an international-standard event.
He added that the FIA would work with Formula One and its partners to ensure the new circuit meets the required standards, while helping develop talent and expand opportunities for motorsport across Africa.
Race date and calendar plans remain unclear
Although the 10-year agreement provides a long-term commitment, the African Grand Prix's place on the Formula One calendar remains uncertain until the circuit is completed and an inaugural date is confirmed.
Formula One has sought to keep its calendar at around 24 races a season, leaving questions about how the new event will fit alongside existing Grands Prix and other planned additions or returns.
No decision has been announced on whether the African Grand Prix will replace an existing race or require adjustments to the calendar.
Further details on construction, the opening race and the event's format will be released later.