Formula 1 will return to Africa for the first time since 1993 after the FIA and Formula 1 Group signed a 10-year agreement to host the Formula 1 African Grand Prix in Rwanda, with racing expected to begin in the early 2030s once a purpose-built circuit in Bugesera is complete.
The new track, located approximately 40 kilometres south of Kigali and adjacent to the new Kigali International Airport, will be developed to FIA Grade 1 standards as part of a broader sports, tourism, infrastructure and commercial development project led by the Rwanda Development Board. The circuit will be designed to use the area’s natural elevation changes to create what the FIA describes as a unique and challenging racing experience.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem called the announcement a historic moment for the sport. “The return of the FIA Formula One World Championship to Africa is a historic moment for our sport and an important step in the continued global growth of motorsport,” he said. “This agreement is also about creating a lasting legacy, inspiring new generations, developing talent and opening new opportunities for motorsport across Africa and beyond.”
Formula 1 Group President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said the deal completes the sport’s continental footprint. “With Rwanda joining the calendar from the next decade, our sport will race in every inhabited continent, bringing the World Championship closer than ever to fans around the globe,” he said. “Africa has always been part of Formula 1’s future, and from the beginning we were determined to return in the right way, with the right partner, a long-term commitment and a clear vision for creating meaningful impact.”
The FIA and Formula 1 cited Africa’s existing fanbase as a key driver of the decision. More than 100 million fans across the continent already follow the sport, with almost 60% of fans in key Sub-Saharan African markets under the age of 35.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame framed the agreement as a continental milestone. “Today belongs to Africa,” he said. “For more than three decades, the world’s premier motorsport championship has raced without this continent, and that changes with this agreement. Rwanda is proud to host the Formula 1 African Grand Prix, and to share this moment with more than 100 million fans across Africa, many of them young people who deserve to see the sport at home.”
Beyond race weekends, the Bugesera venue is intended to function as a year-round destination for international motorsport, conferences and entertainment. Specific dates for the inaugural race, circuit development milestones and race weekend details will be announced at a later stage, according to the FIA.