Formula One set for Africa return with long-term partnership with Rwanda
Formula One has signed a ten-year partnership agreement to return to Africa with the African Grand Prix.
The FIA aims to have the race join the F1 calendar by the early 2030s, with Visit Rwanda set to be the Presenting Partner of the event. The track is located around 40 km south of Kigali and is adjacent to the new Kigali International Airport. It will be developed to FIA Grade 1 standards, designed to work in harmony with the natural landscape.
Formula One will move to Rwanda for the first time to race at the new purpose-built circuit in Bugesera. F1’s debut in Rwanda will mark the first race in Africa since the 1993 South African Grand Prix.
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula One, commented:
“Today is a landmark moment for Formula 1. 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. 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. I would like to thank His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, the Government of Rwanda, the Rwanda Development Board, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem and everyone whose dedication and collaboration have made this possible.
“This is about much more than hosting a Grand Prix. Together, we can create lasting economic and social benefits through tourism, investment, skills development and local business growth, ensuring the positive impact of this event is felt for generations. For our fans, this is an especially exciting moment. Africa is home to more than 100 million Formula 1 fans, and that number continues to grow rapidly. We are bringing the excitement, energy and drama of Formula 1 closer to millions of people who have waited a long time to see our sport return to the continent, and we look forward to writing an exciting new chapter together.”
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President, said:
“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. Rwanda has demonstrated a strong commitment to delivering a world-class event, and the FIA will work closely with FOM and our partners as this new circuit is developed to the highest international standards.
“This agreement is also about creating a lasting legacy, inspiring new generations, developing talent and opening new opportunities for motorsport across Africa and beyond. Increasing accessibility is at the heart of the FIA’s mission, and we have a responsibility to ensure that our sport continues to grow at every level, reaching new communities and creating opportunities for people in every corner of the world.
“I congratulate President Paul Kagame on this landmark moment for his nation and share my thanks with Stefano Domenicali and all those whose collaboration has made this exciting new chapter possible.”
His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, added:
“Today belongs to Africa. 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 and to see themselves in it: as engineers, technicians, entrepreneurs and, one day, drivers. This ten-year partnership is also an investment in Rwanda’s future. The circuit in Bugesera, alongside the new international airport, will bring jobs, skills, tourism and new business to our country and our region for decades to come, because our aim was never a single race weekend, but a lasting benefit for our people. I thank Stefano Domenicali, Formula 1 and Mohammed Ben Sulayem for the work that has brought us to this day. We look forward to welcoming the world to Rwanda for the African Grand Prix.”
