F1 confirms return to Africa since 1993, Rwanda joins racing calendar for 10 years

Formula 1 will return to Africa for the first time since 1993 after agreeing a ten-year deal with Rwanda, the East African nation, with the race expected to join the calendar in the early 2030s.

The African Grand Prix will be held at the planned circuit in Bugesera, about 40 kilometers south of Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. The venue will have to meet FIA Grade 1 standards, the highest circuit certification required to host a Formula 1 race.

The deal represents a move to end Africa’s more than three-year absence from the championship. The continent last hosted a race at the South African Grand Prix in Kyalami in 1993. However, Rwanda is still a few years away and the circuit and supporting infrastructure have yet to develop.

NEW CIRCUIT IN BUGESERE

The proposed circuit will be built near the new Rwanda International Airport in Bugesera. The venue is intended to host Formula 1 along with other motorsport events, although construction and preparations will need to be completed before the Grand Prix can take place.

The early 30s target gives Rwanda time to implement the project, but the announcement does not mean the race is imminent. Before being included in the calendar, the circuit must meet the requirements of the FIA.

Formula 1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali said the deal was an important step towards returning the championship to Africa. Formula 1 has previously pointed to its viewership on the continent as a reason to race there.

The Rwanda deal also comes as the championship continues to expand its international calendar. Adding a race in the country would give F1 a new venue in a region it hasn’t visited during the sport’s modern era.

THE RETURN OF AFRICA

Rwanda is pushing for a place on the F1 calendar, while South Africa is also looking to bring the race back to the continent. Kyalami, which last hosted F1 in 1993, had been mooted as a possible venue but Rwanda’s deal provides a separate route back from Africa.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has repeatedly called for Formula 1 to race in Africa. He argued that the championship should have a presence on the continent, where it had been absent for more than 30 years.

Rwanda has hosted several major international sporting events in recent years, including the 2023 FIFA Congress and the 2024 FIA Awards Ceremony. It also hosted the 2025 UCI Road World Championships.

The 10-year agreement sets out a long-term commitment to bring Formula 1 to Rwanda, but the event will depend on the circuit being completed and the sport’s technical requirements being met. With the event not expected until the early 2030s, Africa’s return to the F1 calendar remains a longer-term prospect.

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