South African Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has welcomed Rwanda's reported bid to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix from 2030. McKenzie said Rwanda has worked longer on its campaign and deserves recognition for the progress it has made. This development comes as Rwanda's plans to bring Formula 1 back to Africa gain momentum, with a new permanent circuit planned near Bugesera International Airport.
The proposed Rwandan circuit is expected to be located close to Bugesera Airport and would be designed by former Formula 1 driver Alexander Wurz. Rwanda has also strengthened its links with the international motorsport community in recent years. Kigali hosted the FIA General Assembly and awards ceremony in 2024, bringing senior figures from global motorsport to the country.
President Paul Kagame has also repeatedly expressed Rwanda's interest in bringing Formula 1 to the country and has engaged with Formula 1 and FIA leadership. McKenzie's comments suggest that South Africa sees Rwanda's progress as a development that can coexist with its own ambitions. Rather than presenting the two bids as mutually exclusive, the South African minister has argued that Africa could eventually accommodate multiple races.
McKenzie made clear that South Africa has not abandoned its own ambition of returning the country to the Formula 1 calendar. He said South Africa could still secure a Grand Prix before 2030, leaving open the possibility that both countries could eventually feature on the Formula 1 calendar. This would mark a major expansion of the championship's global footprint.
The continent has not hosted a Grand Prix since the 1993 South African race at Kyalami. Rwanda's reported 2030 target therefore comes as Formula 1 continues to consider how and where the championship can return to Africa. South Africa is looking to revive its historic Formula 1 presence at Kyalami, which last hosted the South African Grand Prix in 1993.
Kyalami remains one of Africa's best-known racing venues, but the circuit would need to regain the FIA Grade 1 status required to host a Formula 1 race. Rwanda, meanwhile, is pursuing a different route by developing a new permanent circuit. McKenzie argued that Africa should not be restricted to a single Formula 1 race simply because the continent has historically been absent from the championship.
With 55 countries on the continent, McKenzie said there was room for more than one African Grand Prix if the necessary infrastructure, investment and commercial conditions could be met. The comments add a new dimension to the growing competition to bring Formula 1 back to Africa, with Rwanda and South Africa emerging as the two countries at the centre of the latest push.
Key points
- Rwanda's bid to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2030 has been welcomed by South Africa.
- South Africa believes Rwanda deserves recognition for its progress in pursuing a Formula 1 race.
- The two countries may eventually feature on the Formula 1 calendar, with Africa accommodating multiple races.
