Formula One has announced a 10-year agreement to bring the sport back to Africa, with Rwanda set to host the African Grand Prix from the early 2030s.
The agreement sees the sport head back to the continent for the first time since 1993, when the South African Grand Prix left the calendar.
Racing will take place at a new circuit in Bugesera, which is expected to be completed early in the next decade. The circuit will be located approximately 40 kilometres south of the capital, Kigali.
The new track will be developed to FIA Grade 1 standards as part of a wider sports, tourism, infrastructure and commercial development project led by the Rwanda Development Board.
“Today is a landmark moment for Formula One,” said Stefano Domenicali, president and chief executive of F1. “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.”
The announcement is expected to be well received by Ferrari star Lewis Hamilton, who has long been an advocate of the sport returning to Africa. Hamilton reaffirmed his stance on the need for an African F1 race in Singapore at the weekend.
“I’ve always said that we need to have a Grand Prix in Africa. It is, for me, the most important continent, to be honest, and the most beautiful continent,” said Hamilton.
Rwanda President Paul Kagame said: “Today belongs to Africa. For more than three decades, the world’s premier motorsport championship has raced without this continent, and that changes with this agreement. Rwanda is proud to host the Formula One African Grand Prix, and to share this moment with more than 100 million fans across Africa.”
Mohammed ben Sulayem, FIA president, said: “The return of the FIA Formula One World Championship to Africa is a historic moment for our sport and an important step in the continued global growth of motorsport.”
