Formula 1 to Return to Africa with a Grand Prix in Rwanda Starting in the Early 2030s - teleSUR English
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The Rwanda Grand Prix is ​​envisioned as Formula 1's return to Africa after 37 years, featuring a ten-year contract, a newly built circuit in Bugesera, and a strategy aimed at the region's economic, tourism, and sports development.

Formula 1 will return to Africa with the addition of the Rwanda Grand Prix to its calendar in the early 2030s, event organizers announced in a statement this Monday. A ten-year agreement will end the sport’s more than three-decade absence from the continent. The last race took place on March 14, 1993, at the Kyalami circuit in South Africa, where Frenchman Alain Prost won.

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The race will be held on a new circuit to be built in Bugesera, approximately 40 kilometers south of Kigali, the Rwandan capital. According to Formula 1, the facilities are expected to be ready by the beginning of the next decade, the scheduled time for the Grand Prix’s debut on the global calendar.

The track will be designed to meet the International Automobile Federation (FIA) Grade 1 standards, a requirement for hosting top-tier motorsport competitions. The project is part of a broader initiative for sports, tourism, infrastructure, and commercial development led by the Rwanda Development Board.

The venue will not be used solely for the race. Formula 1 stated that the complex will host international motorsport competitions, major events, conferences, and shows throughout the year, aiming to foster economic growth and long-term investment in the region.

In recent years, Rwanda has positioned itself as an African sports hub by hosting events such as the Cycling World Championships, the 2023 FIFA Congress, and the Basketball Africa League.

Africa, we’re back. 🌍

From the early 2030s, the African Grand Prix will join the calendar and take place in Bugesera, Rwanda 🇷🇼#F1 pic.twitter.com/c5gSRl7FNt

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 13, 2026

Rwandan President Paul Kagame highlighted that the agreement represents a long-term investment for the country. “This ten-year partnership is also an investment in Rwanda’s future. The Bugesera circuit, alongside the new international airport, will generate jobs, training, tourism, and new business opportunities for our country and our region for decades to come,” he stated.

For Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali, the return to Africa marks a historic moment, as it will allow the competition to have a presence on every continent. “Africa has always been part of Formula 1’s future, and from the start, we were determined to return in the right way—with the right partner, a long-term commitment, and a clear vision to create a meaningful impact,” he declared.

The championship organizers maintain that Africa represents “one of the most promising growth opportunities for the sport,” with over 100 million fans. Furthermore, nearly 60 percent of followers in key sub-Saharan African markets are under the age of 35.

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— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 12, 2026

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