Formula 1 is set to return to Africa for the first time in more than three decades after announcing a landmark 10-year agreement to stage the African Grand Prix in Rwanda, with the inaugural race planned for the early 2030s.
“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,” said Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
The announcement marks a historic moment for the continent, which has been absent from the Formula 1 calendar since the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami.
Rwanda will become the third African nation to host a Formula 1 World Championship race, following Morocco and South Africa, as the sport continues its global expansion.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has been among the most vocal advocates for Formula 1’s return to Africa, repeatedly calling for the championship to establish a race on the continent.
“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 not that one, and there should be no reason for it,” Hamilton said.
“It’s something I’ve been pushing for in the background and Stefano’s been amazing – he’s flown to Africa so many times over the last couple of years, speaking to lots of different people.”
The British driver has consistently highlighted Africa’s absence from the championship, arguing that the continent deserves to be represented on the Formula 1 calendar.
The new Grand Prix will be staged at a purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, approximately 40 kilometres south of the Rwandan capital, Kigali, and close to the country’s new international airport.
Designed to meet the FIA’s Grade 1 requirements, the facility will incorporate the area’s natural landscape and elevation changes while providing the infrastructure required to host Formula 1 and other international events.
The agreement represents more than the introduction of another race, with Rwanda positioning the project as a long-term investment in infrastructure, tourism, employment and technical development.
“Rwanda is proud to host the Formula 1 African Grand Prix, and to share this moment with more than 100 million fans across Africa, many of them young people who deserve to see the sport at home and to see themselves in it: as engineers, technicians, entrepreneurs and, one day, drivers,” Kagame said.
“This 10-year partnership is also an investment in Rwanda’s future. The circuit in Bugesera, alongside the new international airport, will bring jobs, skills, tourism and new business to our country and our region for decades to come, because our aim was never a single race weekend, but a lasting benefit for our people.”
The emphasis on developing opportunities beyond the circuit is particularly significant in a sport where the financial demands of participation have historically limited access for aspiring drivers and technical professionals.
For young Africans, the arrival of Formula 1 could provide greater exposure to the industry and potentially create new pathways into engineering, motorsport operations, technology and competition.
Rwanda has already established a growing presence in international sport, having hosted several major events in recent years.
In 2024, the country welcomed Formula 1’s leading figures for the FIA Awards Ceremony in Kigali, where Max Verstappen collected his fourth World Drivers’ Championship trophy and McLaren celebrated its first Constructors’ Championship title since 1998.
The country has also hosted the UCI Road World Championships in cycling, international cricket through the ICC Women’s Challenge Trophy, the 2023 FIFA Congress and Basketball Africa League competitions.
Those events have helped Rwanda build experience in staging international sporting occasions, although hosting a Formula 1 Grand Prix will require a significantly larger investment in permanent motorsport infrastructure.
Formula 1 president and chief executive Stefano Domenicali described the agreement as a landmark moment for the championship, while FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem welcomed the sport’s planned return to Africa.
Kagame also acknowledged the work involved in reaching the agreement.
“I thank Stefano Domenicali, Formula 1 and Mohammed Ben Sulayem for the work that has brought us to this day. We look forward to welcoming the world to Rwanda for the African Grand Prix.”
Africa’s absence has long stood out on a calendar that includes races across Europe, Asia, the Americas and Australia.
South Africa had previously emerged as a leading candidate for the championship’s return, with discussions surrounding a potential revival of the Kyalami Grand Prix circuit.
However, Rwanda’s agreement now establishes a route for Formula 1 to return to the continent after an absence of more than 30 years.
While the announcement confirms the 10-year partnership, the exact date of the inaugural race has not yet been finalised, with the new circuit still requiring construction and the necessary approvals before hosting the championship.
