F1's African Comeback: Rwanda's Grand Prix Plan for the 2030s

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-10-21

Formula 1 is finally heading back to Africa. After more than three decades away, the sport announced on Tuesday that Rwanda will host a Grand Prix starting in the early 2030s. The race will take place at a brand-new, purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, just southeast of Kigali, under a 10-year contract. ### What the Rwanda Grand Prix Will Look Like The announcement came at a glitzy launch event in Kigali, with Rwandan President Paul Kagame sharing the stage with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. Kagame first floated the idea two years ago, and now it's officially a go. The circuit will be built near a new international airport currently under construction in Bugesera, about 25 miles south of the capital. Organizers aim to have the Grade One track ready early in the next decade. That's a tight timeline, but Rwanda has been investing heavily in infrastructure and sports, so they're not starting from scratch. Once Rwanda joins the calendar, F1 will race on every inhabited continent. That's a big deal for a sport that's been criticized for ignoring Africa for so long. ### A Brief History of F1 in Africa Rwanda will become only the third African country to host a World Championship race. Morocco held a race outside Casablanca in 1958, and South Africa hosted the most recent African event in 1993 at Kyalami near Johannesburg. That's a 30-year gap – way too long, according to many fans and drivers. Domenicali said the agreement goes beyond just a race weekend. He sees it as a way to bring economic and social benefits through tourism and investment. "Africa has always been part of Formula 1's future," he said, adding that the sport wanted to return with the right partner and a long-term commitment. ### Kagame and Hamilton React President Kagame called the deal a milestone for the entire continent and for African fans in particular. He pointed out that the circuit and the new airport will create jobs, skills, and business opportunities in Rwanda and the wider region. He also hopes this opens the door for more F1 events in Africa. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who now drives for Ferrari, has been pushing for an African race for years. He's the only Black driver in F1 and has used his platform to advocate for diversity and inclusion. Speaking to reporters in Singapore last weekend, Hamilton said every continent except Africa already hosts a Grand Prix, and there's no reason for that to continue. > "Africa has always been part of Formula 1's future." – Stefano Domenicali, F1 CEO Domenicali noted that Africa has more than 100 million F1 fans, and that number keeps growing. That's a massive audience the sport can no longer afford to ignore. ### South Africa and Morocco Still in the Mix Rwanda's deal doesn't mean other African countries are giving up. South Africa has proposed three venues in recent years, and Morocco announced a project last year to build a track for a return. Few updates on the Moroccan plan have followed, though. South Africa's Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, congratulated Rwanda on X before the announcement was even official. He wrote that Rwanda had worked on its bid longer than South Africa and deserved the slot. But he also argued that a continent of 55 countries can support more than one event – pointing out that Italy has hosted two races in a single season. McKenzie said South Africa will get a race, possibly before 2030. F1's statement on Tuesday didn't mention South Africa. South Africa's earlier races took place under apartheid, which drew growing criticism of the sport through the 1970s and 1980s. Several teams boycotted the 1985 race. F1 returned to Kyalami in 1992 and 1993, the last of those events held less than a year before the country's first democratic elections. ### Human Rights Concerns Loom Rwanda has invested heavily in sport under Kagame. The country has sponsored major European football clubs, built a basketball partnership with the NBA, and hosted the world cycling championships. Its "Visit Rwanda" campaign has carried that effort into several sports. Critics accuse the government of using these deals for "sportswashing" to shift attention from Kagame's human rights record. Rights groups also accuse his government of cracking down on critics at home. F1 will likely face questions about these issues as the race approaches. For now, though, the focus is on the historic return. Rwanda's Grand Prix is set to bring F1 back to Africa – and that's something fans have been waiting for a long time.