Formula 1 has announced it will hold a Grand Prix in Africa starting in the early 2030s, with Rwanda as the official host following the signing of a 10-year contract, said F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali.
This decision marks a historic return of the championship to Africa, a continent that has hosted only one Grand Prix in Morocco in 1958 and 23 times in South Africa, the last being in 1993.
Rwanda, which has already hosted major sporting events such as the FIA Awards in 2024 and the UCI Cycling World Championships in 2025, aims to strengthen its status as a major sports and tourist destination in Africa.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame emphasized that this partnership seeks to break from the past where African athletes contributed to the global sports economy without the continent fully benefiting. He sees Formula 1 as a lever for national and continental development.
Jean-Guy Afrika, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board, specified that the goal is to extend the impact beyond Rwanda by involving other African countries.
The 10-year contract will enable the construction of a sustainable circuit and increase Formula 1’s presence in Africa, with an expected economic impact exceeding £100 million per year for the host country, based on data from recent new races.