Can Rwanda bring Formula 1 to Africa?
Rwanda is advancing its bid to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix, with the Rwanda National Automobile Club confirming its readiness.
Negotiations with Formula 1’s promoter, Liberty Media, are intensifying as Rwanda aims to bring the championship back to Africa for the first time since 1993.
A meeting between Rwandan officials and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali is scheduled for late December. The FIA prize-giving ceremony, where this year’s F1 champion will be awarded, will also take place in Kigali, the Rwandan capital.
“Rwanda as a country, we are committed and prepared to host a Formula 1 race," Christian Gakwaya, president of the Rwanda Automobile Club, said. "It’s time for Africa to be part of the F1 calendar. We are working within the formal F1 framework and we are serious about our bid.”
Domenicali has said Rwanda’s bid is serious, and that it includes a solid plan. He has previously expressed a need for an African race on the Formula 1 calendar, a view supported by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who has long advocated for a Grand Prix in Africa.
The last F1 race in Africa was held at Kyalami Circuit in South Africa in 1993. Rwanda’s bid comes as a new and unexpected option for the championship’s return to the continent.
In December, Rwanda was selected to host the General Assembly of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), strengthening its position in global motorsport. The announcement was made at the FIA’s annual meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Gakwaya said hosting Formula 1 fits into Rwanda’s broader strategy to use sports for economic development. The country has already established itself as a sports and entertainment hub, hosting events like the NBA’s Basketball Africa League and the upcoming UCI Cycling World Championship.
