Formula 1 Returns to Africa with 10-Year Agreement to Race in Rwanda

Formula 1 Returns to Africa with 10-Year Agreement to Race in Rwanda

Formula 1 will return to Africa in the early 2030s after Rwanda secured a 10-year agreement to host the African Grand Prix, ending the continent’s absence from the championship since 1993.

The agreement was announced on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, in Kigali, Rwanda, at an event attended by Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Formula 1 President and Chief Executive Officer Stefano Domenicali, and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

The race, officially named the Formula 1 African Grand Prix, presented by Visit Rwanda, will take place at a purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, approximately 40 kilometres south of the capital, Kigali.

According to Formula 1, the circuit is expected to be completed in the early 2030s and will be developed to meet FIA Grade 1 standards, the highest classification required to host Formula 1 races.

The venue will be located near the new Kigali International Airport and is expected to form part of a broader sports, tourism and commercial development project.

Domenicali described the agreement as a landmark moment for the sport, saying Africa had always been part of Formula 1’s future.

He said the partnership would go beyond hosting a Grand Prix, with plans to generate lasting economic and social benefits through tourism, investment, skills development and local business growth.

President Kagame welcomed the agreement, describing it as an investment in Rwanda’s future. He said the project was expected to create jobs, develop skills, attract tourists and open new business opportunities for Rwanda and the wider region.

Formula 1 estimates that more than 100 million fans across Africa follow the sport, highlighting the continent’s growing importance to its global expansion plans.

The return will also fulfil a long-standing ambition of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who has repeatedly called for Formula 1 to stage a race in Africa.

The championship last raced on the continent at the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami, near Johannesburg.

Further details, including the inaugural race date, circuit development milestones and race-weekend arrangements, are expected to be announced later.

The 10-year agreement marks a significant step towards restoring Africa’s place on the Formula 1 calendar while positioning Rwanda as a destination for international sporting events and investment.