Lewis Hamilton “compelled to remain much longer” in F1 with aspirations for an African Grand Prix.

“I’m excited about racing with him for a longer time, and we’ll see about that; I mean, I’m now compelled to stick around a lot longer because we have a race in Africa, and that’s been my aspiration, to race in Africa.”

Antonelli responded: “So you’ve got to come.”

Hamilton continued: “So, yeah, I have to keep striving to stay fit if I can, and if I can still achieve good results over the next year, we’ll keep it going.”

This was not the first instance of Antonelli encouraging him. When Hamilton was initially asked about the Rwanda race, the Mercedes driver interjected: “You’ve got to do at least the first.”

Stefano Domenicali at African GP announcement in Rwanda 

Hamilton has long advocated for a grand prix in Africa and mentioned he has played a significant role behind the scenes.

“I’ve been pushing for a race in Africa for many, many years, and have had countless discussions with stakeholders, numerous meetings with Stefano [Domenicali, F1 CEO] at his office in London, but also during race weekends, countless calls about what’s happening, where are we going, who are you meeting with, many discussions with different presidents from various countries, and lots of calls with different leaders from across Africa.

“I believe it’s a region that deserves a grand prix. It’s more than just about one nation. It’s about the continent as a whole, with so many beautiful nations within it, and the people are incredibly welcoming. The culture is so vibrant, and I think it’s crucial that we showcase that to the world through our sport.

“We have the opportunity to visit all these diverse nations, and people learn about places they may not have known much about, and suddenly, it’s on screen, and children are discussing it. They talk about it in school, so I’m genuinely hopeful for that grand prix.”

F1 has not held a race in Africa since the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami. If you’re a fan of Hamilton, you’ll be hoping he’s still around when Rwanda comes calling.