AP reports the race would mark Formula 1’s return to Africa after about 40 years.
AP reports Formula 1 has confirmed Rwanda will host a race from the early 2030s, which would bring the series back to Africa after about 40 years. Bloomberg describes the planned event as a Grand Prix.
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Formula 1 and Rwanda have announced a 10-year agreement to stage an African Grand Prix in the country. The race is set to join the calendar in the early 2030s, but only after a new purpose-built circuit is completed.
That timing remains deliberately broad. Formula 1 has not announced the inaugural race date or construction milestones. If the project proceeds as planned, it would bring the championship back to Africa for the first time since the 1993 South African Grand Prix.
The planned track will be built in Bugesera, about 40 kilometers south of Kigali and next to the new Kigali International Airport. Formula 1 says it will be developed to FIA Grade 1 standards and will use the area's elevation changes as part of its design.
The circuit is part of a larger sports, tourism and commercial development led by the Rwanda Development Board. Beyond the Grand Prix, organizers say the venue is intended to host other motorsport, conferences and entertainment events throughout the year.
President Paul Kagame described the deal as an investment in jobs, skills, tourism and new business. Rwanda has already used international sports partnerships and events to promote the country, including sponsorships of European soccer clubs, a partnership with the NBA and hosting the world cycling championships.
Formula 1 says more than 100 million people across Africa already follow the sport.
The event could also bring renewed scrutiny. The Associated Press reports that human-rights groups have accused Kagame's government of repression and that critics have described some of Rwanda's sports investments as “sportswashing.” AP also notes U.N. accusations that Rwanda backs rebels in neighboring Congo. The government has presented the Formula 1 project as a long-term economic opportunity, while the exact date for the first race remains unsettled.
@APFormula 1 has confirmed that Rwanda will host a race from “the early 2030s” when the series returns to Africa after about 40 years. https://apnews.com/article/f1-africa-rwanda-grand-prix-0f71bcd619e82380ab226b012e4ec21f?taid=6acdfc9150fc640001067470&utm_campaign=TrueAnthem&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter@APFormula 1 has confirmed that Rwanda will host a race from “the early 2030s” when the series returns to Africa after about 40 years. https://apnews.com/article/f1-africa-rwanda-grand-prix-0f71bcd619e82380ab226b012e4ec21f?taid=6acdfc9150fc640001067470&utm_campaign=TrueAnthem&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter@APFormula 1 has confirmed that Rwanda will host a race from “the early 2030s” when the series returns to Africa after about 40 years. https://apnews.com/article/f1-africa-rwanda-grand-prix-0f71bcd619e82380ab226b012e4ec21f?taid=6acdfc9150fc640001067470&utm_campaign=TrueAnthem&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter@APFormula 1 has confirmed that Rwanda will host a race from “the early 2030s” when the series returns to Africa after about 40 years. https://apnews.com/article/f1-africa-rwanda-grand-prix-0f71bcd619e82380ab226b012e4ec21f?taid=6acdfc9150fc640001067470&utm_campaign=TrueAnthem&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter—
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