Big news from Rwanda—President Paul Kagame just announced that the country is bidding to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix, potentially bringing the sport back to Africa for the first time in over 30 years.
“I’m excited to officially announce that Rwanda is pushing to host a Formula 1 race,” Kagame said during the FIA General Assembly in Kigali.
The last time Africa saw an F1 race was way back in 1993 at Kyalami in South Africa. Now, Rwanda is stepping up to make it happen again, and the momentum is building fast.
The FIA event, which Kigali is hosting for the first time, wraps up this Friday with the season’s big awards ceremony. During his announcement, Kagame gave a shoutout to F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali for how far the talks have come.
“Thanks to Stefano Domenicali and his team for all the progress we’ve made so far,” Kagame said. “We’re taking this opportunity seriously and are fully committed to making it happen.”
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Rwanda’s plan is ambitious. The proposal includes a brand-new, high-tech racetrack near the upcoming Bugesera International Airport, just outside Kigali. It’s all part of the country’s larger push to boost tourism and put itself on the global sports map. If you’ve seen their sponsorship of Arsenal FC, you already know Rwanda isn’t afraid of thinking big when it comes to sports.
With the Dutch Grand Prix leaving the F1 calendar after 2026, Rwanda might just snag a spot as early as 2027—though nothing’s set in stone yet. For now, they’re leading the race against other African countries that are also interested.
Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time F1 world champion, is a fan of Rwanda. “Rwanda was one of my favorite places to visit this summer,” he said, reflecting on his travels to Africa. Hamilton is set to join Ferrari in 2025, so you can expect to see more of Hamilton here soon.
If the bid goes through, hosting a Grand Prix could turn Rwanda into Africa’s motorsport hotspot, giving the continent a real connection to one of the world’s most prestigious sports. Plus, it aligns with Rwanda’s bigger goals of becoming a global player in both tourism and sports diplomacy.
The whole motorsport world is paying attention now. FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem gave Rwanda credit for its leadership and talked about how teamwork is the key to moving motorsport forward globally.
“There’s an old African proverb: ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,’” he said. “By working together, we can really make a difference for motorsport and mobility worldwide.”
The assembly in Kigali also spotlighted some big FIA initiatives, like the Global Karting Plan and their Vision 2030 strategy, which focus on growth and innovation in the sport.
It’s clear that Rwanda isn’t just making a bid—they’re putting everything they’ve got into it. Could this be the moment that F1 comes back to Africa? Fingers crossed.
