Thirty-three years later, Formula 1 will return to the African continent in 2030 with a Grand Prix scheduled in Rwanda.
Speculation has intensified in recent days, and it is now confirmed: Rwanda will host a Formula 1 Grand Prix starting in 2030. The premier motorsport will return to African soil for the first time since 1993, when the last race was held at the Kyalami circuit in South Africa. Although the Rwandan circuit has yet to be built, the joint desire of the country and Formula 1 to collaborate is finally coming to fruition.
Published on: Updated on:
4 min Reading time
This Tuesday, October 13 marks a "historic date" for a continent that has not seen the premier motorsport since 1993, more than 30 years after the races of Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna in the suburbs of Johannesburg.
Formula 1 is finally realizing a long-held project: returning to Africa. Three years ago, F1's Italian chief, Stefano Domenicali, had already mentioned this return to the continent, which has long been absent from the sport's revival since its acquisition by Liberty Media. On Tuesday, he stated: “For many years, we have expressed our desire to return, but we have always said we would do it under the best conditions: with the right vision and the right partner. That partner is Rwanda.”
Circuit to be built
South Africa's hesitations ultimately benefited Rwanda, which, under the leadership of President Paul Kagame and its strategy to host major sporting events, has succeeded in convincing the sport to add it to its calendar starting in 2030, with the ambition to remain. This is what Formula 1 hopes for, aiming for sustainable development on the continent, according to its president. “For our fans around the world, this is an incredibly exciting moment. We have over 800 million fans worldwide, and Africa alone has more than 100 million. And this community continues to grow at an incredible rate.”
Rwanda has been working on this project for many years. In 2024, the first signs of a rapprochement emerged when Kigali hosted the general assembly of the International Automobile Federation. The circuit is now set to be built: the ongoing project concerns a layout located on the outskirts of Kigali, near the future Bugesera International Airport.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame expressed his satisfaction with this decision during the presentation ceremony in Kigali. “It is an honor and a privilege for Rwanda to have been selected. This partnership has been long awaited. It represents a success and an important milestone for the entire continent, especially for African fans. Our goal is for this Grand Prix to pave the way for other races in Africa. What we are achieving today demonstrates that it is possible to connect African markets with major global sporting competitions and create meaningful opportunities.”
Promotion through sport
President Kagame has also chosen to use sport to promote his country, with Rwanda becoming the first African nation to host the Cycling World Championships last year. It is also a partner, with its slogan "Visit Rwanda," of several major European football clubs.
To date, Africa has hosted 24 Formula 1 Grands Prix since the creation of the World Championship in 1950, including 23 in South Africa at Kyalami between 1967 and 1993. The only other GP held on the continent took place in Morocco in 1958 at the Ain-Daib circuit.
More from this section
Football: the French women's team faces Venezuela and Morocco in friendly matches.
FIFA plans to distribute 25 million dollars to each federation.
Tennis: the flamboyant Monfils bids farewell with simplicity
Champions League: Arsenal triumphs over Lille, Barcelona impresses, Bayern thwarted.
Football: Former Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal joins Getafe.
