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F1 chooses Rwanda for new grand prix over France and Germany
Formula 1 is reportedly planning a new race in Rwanda in the early 2030s, a ten-year deal tied to the construction of a purpose-built circuit near Kigali, while France and Germany have fallen off the calendar.
By Eleanor Ellington · 3 min read
Formula 1 is reportedly planning a new grand prix in Rwanda, with the race expected around the early 2030s. The deal is said to be a ten-year agreement and is tied to the construction of a new circuit, meaning the race is not guaranteed until the track has been built.
The proposed venue is in Bugesera, south of the capital Kigali. The circuit is designed to measure about 3.6 miles and feature 17 turns, with an elevation change of around 200 metres. Former driver Alex Wurz is involved in the project. The track has not yet been built, and the race depends on its completion.
The choice reflects a shift in the championship's calendar. France's Paul Ricard circuit dropped off the schedule after 2022, and Germany has not hosted a race since the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix. Stefano Domenicali, who leads Formula 1, is driving the wider push to expand the sport into new markets, and the Rwanda plan is part of that effort.
Formula 1 has pointed to its audience in Africa, claiming around 100 million followers across the continent, many of them under 35. That figure is central to the sport's argument that a race on the continent would reach a young and growing fan base. Lewis Hamilton has long pushed for a race in Africa, and the new plan gives that long-standing ambition a concrete location.
Rwanda's only previous link to the sport came through an African race in 1993, and no race has been held on the continent since. That gap is the backdrop to the current plan, which would be the first grand prix on African soil in more than three decades. The country's connection to the sport is therefore limited to a single event, which makes the new proposal a notable step for both the host and the championship.
Hosting a grand prix is expensive, and the fees are very high. Countries must fund them privately or publicly, and the Rwandan project is reportedly backed by a mix of private and public money. That funding structure is one of the main reasons the plan has attracted attention, since it places a significant financial commitment on the host side.
The announcement has also drawn criticism. Rwanda's human rights record has been questioned, and claims of sportswashing followed the news, with critics arguing that hosting a high-profile event can be used to improve a country's international image. Those objections sit alongside the supporters who see the race as an opportunity for growth and visibility.
For now the grand prix remains a plan rather than a confirmed fixture. Its future will depend on whether the Bugesera circuit is built and whether the ten-year agreement is carried through as reported.
Source: autocar.co.uk
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