By Sports Correspondent
Rwanda has secured a 10-year agreement to host Formula 1 races from the early 2030s, paving the way for the return of the world’s premier motorsport championship to Africa for the first time since 1993.
The deal, announced in Kigali, will see the country host the African Grand Prix, presented by Visit Rwanda, at a new purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, approximately 40 kilometres south of the capital.
The agreement marks a major milestone in Rwanda’s ambitions to establish itself as a leading destination for international sporting events, while restoring Africa’s place on the Formula 1 calendar after more than three decades.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame announced the development alongside Formula 1 president and chief executive Stefano Domenicali and International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
“This partnership is long overdue,” Kagame said, describing the agreement as a milestone for Africa and its motorsport fans.
He said Rwanda hoped the race would open the door for more Formula 1 events to be hosted on the continent.
The inaugural race will take place once the new circuit has been completed, with Formula 1 indicating that construction is expected to be completed in the early 2030s.
The facility will be developed to FIA Grade 1 standards, the certification required to host Formula 1 races, as part of a wider sports, tourism and commercial development project led by the Rwanda Development Board.
The circuit’s location near the under-construction Bugesera international airport is expected to support international travel and the logistics required to stage a major global sporting event.
Domenicali described the agreement as a landmark moment for the championship, saying Africa had long been part of Formula 1’s plans for global expansion.
FIA president Ben Sulayem welcomed the agreement with Rwanda, saying it would create opportunities to develop motorsport talent, inspire younger generations and expand the sport’s reach across Africa.
The announcement is also a significant development for seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who has repeatedly called on Formula 1 to return to Africa.
The British driver, who races for Ferrari, has argued that the continent should not remain excluded from a championship that stages races across Europe, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East.
Hamilton has previously described Africa as an essential part of Formula 1’s global footprint and urged the sport’s leadership to prioritise bringing a Grand Prix back to the continent.
Formula 1 has highlighted the continent’s growing fan base, estimating that more than 100 million people across Africa follow the sport.
Rwanda’s selection comes after several countries, including South Africa and Morocco, explored opportunities to bring Formula 1 back to Africa.
South Africa has been pursuing a return to the calendar, with the historic Kyalami circuit among the venues associated with efforts to revive the country’s Grand Prix ambitions.
South Africa last hosted a Formula 1 race in 1993, the same year the championship last competed on African soil.
