This historic agreement will bring F1 back to the continent for the first time since 1993, but promises of economic transformation face questions over public spending and sportswashing.
Formula One will return to Africa in the early 2030s under a 10-year agreement with Rwanda, bringing an end to a more than three-decade absence.
The agreement, announced on Tuesday, October 13, will see the Formula 1 African Grand Prix, presented by Visit Rwanda, staged at a purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, about 40 kilometres south of the capital Kigali.
According to authorities, construction of the circuit is expected to be completed early in the next decade, with the circuit designed to meet the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile’s Grade One standards required for Formula One racing.
The announcement marks a significant milestone for a continent whose growing population of motorsport fans has gone decades without hosting a Formula One world championship race with the last being the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami in 1993.
“Today is a landmark moment for Formula 1. 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.” Stefano Domenicali, the championship’s president and chief executive said in the official announcement.
In his statement, Rwandan President Paul Kagame welcomed the agreement as a victory for the continent as well as his country, presenting the race as a long-term investment rather than a one-off international spectacle.
“Today belongs to Africa. This 10-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,” Kagame said.
The project will be led by the Rwanda Development Board as part of a broader plan to develop tourism, infrastructure and commercial activity around the new airport and racing circuit.
Formula One says the venue could operate throughout the year, hosting other motorsport competitions, conferences, entertainment and international events.
Domenicali said the agreement was about more than staging a Grand Prix, arguing that it could generate lasting economic and social benefits through tourism, investment, skills development and local business growth.
According to estimates by Formula One, more than 100 million fans across Africa follow the sport.
The first race date, detailed construction milestones and race-weekend arrangements have yet to be announced.
The deal represents a major achievement for Rwanda’s campaign to establish itself as a destination for elite international sport as the country has already invested heavily in sports-related promotion, including tourism partnerships with European football clubs such as Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, collaboration with the National Basketball Association through African basketball, and the hosting of major international competitions like the 2025 UCI Road World Championships and the FIFA Congress in 2023.
Supporters say the strategy raises Rwanda’s international profile, attracts visitors and investors, creates employment and gives local athletes and businesses access to global networks.
President Kagame, who has been in power since 2000, is credited by supporters with helping to rebuild Rwanda following the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi and transforming the country into a recognised destination for investment and international events.
The agreement comes alongside construction of a new international airport at Bugesera, creating the possibility of a wider transport, tourism and commercial hub south of Kigali. The government hopes the combination will generate jobs, attract investment and develop technical skills in engineering, logistics, hospitality and motorsport.
However, the full cost of the circuit, the financing arrangements and the division of expenditure between public authorities and private partners have not been disclosed in the announcement.
A successful Grand Prix could support hotels, restaurants, transport operators and local suppliers and could also create new opportunities for Rwandan technicians and aspiring engineers.
Rwanda’s selection comes amid competition among African countries seeking to bring Formula One back to the continent.
South Africa has pursued a return at venues including Kyalami and has continued to express interest in hosting a future race.
Morocco has also been associated with ambitions to stage a Grand Prix.
South African Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie welcomed Rwanda’s progress while arguing that the continent should not be limited to a single race.
“(Rwanda) have worked on it longer than SA and deserve it,” McKenzie wrote on X, adding that South Africa could still secure a race of its own.
Rwanda’s agreement does not necessarily close the door on other African hosts as Formula One has expanded its calendar in recent years and has demonstrated a willingness to stage multiple races in the same country, although any additional African event would depend on commercial terms, infrastructure, logistics and approval.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has repeatedly called for Formula One to race in Africa, arguing that the continent should not remain the exception to the sport’s global presence. His support has helped sustain attention on the issue, although the long-term benefits will depend on more than the presence of a race on the calendar.
