Formula 1 will return to the African continent for the first time since 1993, after Rwanda signed a 10-year deal to host an upcoming round of the world championship called the African Grand Prix from the early 2030s.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- The addition of a Bugesera circuit extends the F1 calendar’s global footprint.
The Long Road Back to Africa
Formula 1 last raced on the African continent at South Africa’s Kyalami Circuit, situated north of Johannesburg, more than three decades ago. The sport has long sought a way back. The upcoming event will officially be designated as the African Grand Prix. It marks a landmark moment for the championship, fulfilling chief executive Stefano Domenicali’s stated goal of racing across every inhabited continent.
Africa, we’re back. 🌍From the early 2030s, the African Grand Prix will join the calendar and take place in Bugesera, Rwanda 🇷🇼#F1 pic.twitter.com/c5gSRl7FNt
“Today is a landmark moment for Formula 1,” F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali said. “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.”
F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali announced the agreement during a press conference alongside Rwandan President Paul Kagame and International Automobile Federation (FIA) head Mohammed Ben Sulayem. Kagame announced his landlocked East African country’s bid two years ago.
Engineering the Bugesera Circuit
The newly contracted race will take place at a dedicated, purpose-built grade one track currently planned alongside a new international airport under construction in Bugesera. Located approximately 40 kilometres south of the capital city of Kigali, the facility will feature a fast and flowing layout with significant changes of elevation and put spectators close to the action.
| Project Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Hosting Commitment | 10-Year Deal |
| Circuit Location | Bugesera, 40km south of Kigali |
| Projected Capacity | 100,000 Spectators |
| Circuit Architects | Alex Wurz and Tilke |
Austrian former driver Alex Wurz designed the track with long-time F1 architect Tilke also involved. Construction of the facility is expected to be completed early in the next decade. Jean-Guy Afrika, chief executive of the Rwanda Development Board, noted that the venue is expected to have a 100,000 capacity. The facility is intended to be a multi-purpose facility with year-round utilisation as a concert and exhibition venue.
Private Sector Backing and Historical Context
The initiative would likely be powered by the private sector and coordinated by the government. The overarching ambition is to make it the moment when the sport came back to Africa and then never left.
“We want to make it bigger than just Rwanda. We want to make it the moment when the sport came back to Africa and then never left,” he told a press conference.
When the race commences in the early 2030s, Rwanda will become the third African country to host a round of the championship since the start in 1950. Morocco previously put on a race outside Casablanca in 1958.
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