Rwanda to Host Formula 1 Races Starting in the Early 2030s

Formula 1’s world championship announced on Tuesday that Africa will return to the race calendar for the first time this century, after Rwanda signed a ten-year deal to host a race starting in the early 2030s.

Formula 1, which last held a race on the continent in 1993 at the Kyalami circuit north of Johannesburg in South Africa, has long sought a return to the continent.

Stefano Domenicali, the championship’s chief executive, said at a press conference in the capital Kigali, attended by Rwandan President Paul Kagame and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, “Today marks a historic moment for Formula 1.”

“With Rwanda joining the calendar from next decade, our sport’s races will be held on every inhabited continent, bringing the world championship closer to fans around the globe than ever before.”

Domenicali added, “Africa has always been part of Formula 1’s future, and we were determined from the outset to return in the right way, with the right partner, a long-term contract and commitment, and a clear vision to create a tangible impact.”

President Kagame announced two years ago his landlocked, East African country’s plans to build a first-class circuit designed specifically for the purpose, located near a new international airport under construction in Bugesera, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of Kigali. The circuit is expected to be completed in the early next decade.

Rwanda will become the third African nation to host a championship round since its inception in 1950, after Morocco organized a race outside Casablanca in 1958.

Domenicali said the agreement with Rwanda goes beyond merely hosting a Grand Prix, highlighting the economic and social benefits that will be realized through tourism and investment.

He added, “This is an extremely exciting moment for our fans. Africa has more than 100 million Formula 1 fans, and that number is growing rapidly.”