Rwanda Targets 2029 for Potential Formula 1 Grand Prix Return to Africa

Rwanda is actively pursuing a Formula 1 race for 2029, with the country's development chief confirming negotiations are underway. The ambitious plan involves building a new circuit and leveraging the event to develop an entirely new city around the airport, aiming to attract the global business and entertainment audience that follows the sport.

Why it matters:

A Grand Prix in Rwanda would mark Formula 1's long-awaited return to the African continent, which has been absent from the calendar since the 1993 South African Grand Prix. It represents a strategic expansion into a new market and aligns with the sport's stated goal of increasing its global footprint, while also fulfilling a persistent call from drivers like Lewis Hamilton for a race in Africa.

The details:

• Jean-Guy Afrika, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board, stated, "We’re in the race to possibly hold a Formula One event here in 2029."
• The vision extends beyond the race itself, aiming to use the airport as a hub to "develop an entirely new city" with integrated recreational facilities to cater to fans during the event week.
• Negotiations with Formula 1 are expected to include the construction of the necessary racetrack infrastructure.
• Afrika highlighted the sport's appeal to "global CEOs, tech entrepreneurs, high-net-worth individuals," indicating Rwanda's focus on using F1 for economic development and international branding.
• While focused on F1, the interest extends to the junior series, with Afrika hinting at "some nice surprises in the near future" regarding Formula 2 and Formula 3.

The big picture:

Rwanda is not the only African nation with F1 ambitions; reports also suggest Nigeria is exploring a bid to host a street race in its capital, Abuja. This growing interest underscores Africa's potential as a key growth market for the sport. The success of such a project hinges on significant infrastructure investment and navigating the complex logistics of adding a new race to an already crowded calendar.

What's next:

The 2029 target provides a clear but distant timeline. The coming years will be critical for Rwanda to finalize agreements with Formula 1, secure financing, and begin the substantial construction required for both the circuit and the supporting city development. If successful, it would achieve a historic return for F1 to Africa and test a new model of event-led urban development.