Formula 1 is finally heading back to Africa. According to Motorsport.com, the championship has secured a massive 10-year agreement with Rwanda to host a brand-new African Grand Prix in the capital Kigali by 2030 at the earliest.
That means F1 will race on the African continent for the first time since the 1993 South African Grand Prix. The event will officially be known as the 'Formula 1 African Grand Prix, presented by Visit Rwanda'. The start date depends entirely on construction, as the machines will roar on a yet-to-be-built natural road course located 40km south of Kigali, right next to the capital's under-construction Bugesera international airport.
For the past six years I've been fighting in the background to get a grand prix... I know they're really trying.
The layout itself sounds like an absolute beast to drive. Designed by former driver Alex Wurz and his design company, the 6km, 17-corner anti-clockwise circuit will exploit the local terrain to give fans a natural arena. The elevation changes alone are wild, featuring a 197m drop and climb per lap.
The deal was formally announced on Tuesday at a press conference in Kigali. Rwandan president Paul Kagame, F1 CEO and president Stefano Domenicali, and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem were all on hand to make it official. Talks between F1 and Rwanda had accelerated heavily in 2024, a year that also saw Kigali host the FIA's annual Prize Giving Ceremony where Max Verstappen collected his fourth F1 world title trophy.
President Kagame emphasized the broader cultural and economic weight of the announcement. “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," he said. He added that the project aims to inspire young people across the region to see themselves as engineers, technicians, entrepreneurs, and eventually drivers.
Domenicali shared that enthusiasm for the global expansion. “Today is a landmark moment for Formula 1. 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," he noted, pointing out that Africa is home to more than 100 million Formula 1 fans. FIA president Ben Sulayem confirmed the governing body will work closely with FOM and local partners to build the circuit to the highest international standards.
Getting F1 back to Africa has been a long-fought battle championed loudly from inside the paddock as well. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton had previously revealed his behind-the-scenes push for the continent, stating earlier this year: “For the past six years I've been fighting in the background to get a grand prix... I know they're really trying." He specifically singled out Rwanda as a particularly spectacular place during his travels. Now, that vision is finally becoming a reality.
