Rwanda has secured a 10-year agreement to host the Formula 1 African Grand Prix, beating rival efforts by South Africa and Morocco to bring the championship back to the continent for the first time since 1993. President Paul Kagame has welcomed the deal as a historic milestone for Rwanda and African motorsport, saying it could pave the way for more countries on the continent to host races.
Formula 1 confirmed the agreement on Tuesday, October 13, and expects the race to join the championship calendar in the early 2030s. The announcement ends years of efforts to restore Formula 1 to Africa, where the last Grand Prix was held at South Africa’s Kyalami circuit in 1993.
Speaking following the announcement in Kigali on Tuesday, October 13, Kagame thanked Formula 1 President and Chief Executive Stefano Domenicali, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem and their teams for working with Rwanda to secure the agreement.
“It’s an honour and privilege for Rwanda to be chosen as a destination in the Formula One calendar,” Kagame said.
“My deepest gratitude goes to the leadership at Formula One and FIA, namely Stefano and Mohammed, including your teams, for your trust and collaboration during the entire process.”
Kagame said the agreement reflected a shared belief that Africa could contribute more to motorsport and strengthen its place in a sport traditionally associated with established racing destinations across Europe, Asia and the Americas.
“What brought us together is a shared conviction that Africa has the potential to elevate the quality of motorsport as a global and elite discipline,” he said.
He described the partnership as long overdue, arguing that the return of Formula 1 would represent a success not only for Rwanda but also for African fans who have had to follow the championship without a race on their continent for more than three decades.
“This partnership is long overdue, but it is a success and a milestone for the entire continent, especially for the African fans,” Kagame said.
The Rwandan president also said his government hoped the race would help create opportunities for other African countries to host Formula 1 events in the future, rather than making Rwanda the continent’s only destination for the championship.
“Ultimately, what we want is for the African Grand Prix to pave the way for other races to be hosted on the continent. This is not impossible to achieve, and what we are doing now proves this,” he said.
Formula 1 confirmed a 10-year agreement with Rwanda on Tuesday, with the African Grand Prix expected to join the calendar in the early 2030s. The inaugural race will take place after a new purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, approximately 40 kilometres south of Kigali, has been completed.
The planned circuit will be developed to meet FIA Grade 1 standards, the highest circuit classification required to host Formula 1 races. The project is part of a wider sports, tourism and commercial development led by the Rwanda Development Board, with the new Kigali International Airport also planned in the surrounding area.
Formula 1 has not yet announced the exact date of the first race or detailed milestones for the circuit’s construction. The agreement confirms Rwanda as the intended host, while delivery of the event depends on completing the facilities and preparations required to stage a championship race.
The deal will bring Formula 1 back to Africa for the first time since the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami. The return follows years of interest in restoring the continent to the calendar, including calls from seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton for the sport to race in Africa again.
For Rwanda, the agreement forms part of a broader strategy to attract international sporting events, visitors and investment. Formula 1 and the Rwandan government have said the project is intended to support tourism, develop technical skills, create business opportunities and encourage young Africans to pursue careers in motorsport.
Kagame’s remarks placed particular emphasis on the potential for the agreement to benefit the wider continent. His stated ambition is not simply to bring one major sporting event to Rwanda, but to demonstrate that African countries can develop the infrastructure and partnerships needed to host more events at the highest level of international motorsport.