Formula 1 has confirmed its return to the African continent after more than three decades away, following a ten-year agreement with Rwanda to bring the African Grand Prix to the championship calendar from the early 2030s. The race will take place on a purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, approximately 40 kilometres south of Kigali, the country’s capital. The announcement represents a strategic move for the series, which aims to expand its international presence and complete its calendar across every inhabited continent. Beyond the sporting significance, however, Rwanda’s selection also opens a new chapter for African motorsport, which has spent years seeking to regain a place in one of the world’s most prominent competitions.
The championship’s return comes after the last Formula 1 race in Africa was held at Kyalami, South Africa, in 1993. Since then, the possibility of hosting another Grand Prix on the continent has remained a recurring ambition among officials, fans and motorsport figures, including seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who has publicly advocated for Formula 1 to return. Rwanda’s selection, meanwhile, follows a proposal backed by the country’s government and the Rwanda Development Board, which aim to use Formula 1’s arrival to boost tourism, attract investment and create new economic opportunities. Although a specific date for the first race has yet to be confirmed, the agreement establishes a long-term partnership that includes both the construction of the necessary infrastructure and the preparations required to meet the technical standards set by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).
Rwanda prepares a new circuit for Formula 1’s return
The future African Grand Prix will take place on a circuit designed by WurzDesign, a company led by former Formula 1 driver Alexander Wurz. The proposal includes a track adapted to the natural contours of the terrain in Bugesera, an area south of Kigali that will need to be developed to accommodate a competition of this scale. One of the main challenges will be building and preparing the facilities required to obtain FIA Grade 1 homologation, which is essential for hosting Formula 1 races. For this reason, the organisers have scheduled the debut for the early 2030s without committing to a specific year. The project goes beyond designing a race track and requires the development of infrastructure capable of meeting the sporting, logistical and operational demands of a championship that brings together teams, technical staff, sponsors and fans from around the world.
Rwanda’s interest in hosting major sporting events is part of a strategy that has gained momentum in recent years. The country has hosted international competitions and gatherings, including the UCI Road World Championships, the 2023 FIFA Congress, and various basketball and cricket events. In 2024, it also hosted the FIA Awards ceremony, where President Paul Kagame expressed his intention to pursue a bid to bring Formula 1 to the country. Under the new agreement, authorities hope to turn the future circuit into a venue capable of hosting other events, including conferences, shows and business activities beyond the championship dates. The aim is for the investment to generate lasting benefits for sectors such as tourism, services and local commerce. However, the initiative has also raised questions about the use of sport to improve the country’s international image. Amnesty International has previously criticised certain commercial and sporting partnerships involving Rwanda, citing concerns related to arbitrary detention, torture and restrictions on freedom of expression.
Lewis Hamilton champions Formula 1’s return as South Africa maintains its ambitions
Rwanda’s addition to the calendar also represents progress towards a goal that Lewis Hamilton has advocated for years. The British driver has argued that Formula 1 should return to Africa, particularly because the championship already races on every other inhabited continent. In early 2026, Hamilton explained that he had spent six or seven years working behind the scenes to bring a race to the continent, meeting with stakeholders and asking why Africa remained absent from the championship. His position has helped sustain the debate about the continent’s representation in international motorsport, both in terms of competitions and the professional opportunities the industry could create. A Grand Prix could bring the sport closer to new generations of African fans and introduce more people to fields such as engineering, mechanics, technology and sports management. In this regard, Rwanda’s project aims to present the event not merely as a race, but also as an opportunity to strengthen Formula 1’s connection with a young audience in a market with significant growth potential.
Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali described the announcement as a historic moment for the championship and highlighted how the partnership with Rwanda aims to generate long-term economic and social benefits through tourism, investment, skills development and the growth of local businesses. Kagame, meanwhile, said the country was proud to host the African Grand Prix and noted that the event could inspire young people across the continent to imagine a future in motorsport, whether as drivers, engineers, technicians or entrepreneurs. Rwanda’s selection, however, leaves South Africa on the sidelines, despite its own ambitions to bring Formula 1 back. The country hosted races in East London from 1962 to 1966 before the event moved to Kyalami, where the last South African Grand Prix took place in 1993. Although South Africa’s proposal was not selected this time, Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie insisted that his country would still host Formula 1, potentially even before 2030. His comments suggest that Formula 1’s return to Africa could continue to spark competition between potential host countries, as Rwanda moves forward with a project intended to put the continent back on the map of the world’s premier motorsport championship.
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