Rwanda is in talks that could see Kigali host the first Formula 1 race in Africa since the 1993 South African Grand Prix, according to reports.
Formula 1 President CEO Stefano Domenicali in an interview published on Thursday, told Motorsport.com, that Rwanda was “serious” about its bid, adding that further talks were scheduled for September. The bid was separately confirmed on Friday, Aug. 9 by Christian Gakwaya, president of the Rwanda Automobile Club, which governs motor sports in Rwanda. He told Motorsport magazine that the country was “committed and prepared to host a Formula 1 race”.
“They have presented a good plan and actually we have a meeting with them at the end of September,” Domenicali said, disclosing that the proposed race would be on a permanent track. “We want to go to Africa, but we need to have the right investment, and the right strategic plan.”
Michael Hart, CEO of motorsport-focused sponsorships firm The CarMichael Group, told Semafor Africa that Kigali’s recent record of multimillion-dollar investments in sports facilities and partnerships with sports federations including the NBA and the International Cycling Union (UCI) offered its bid an edge. He added that the FIA annual general assembly and awards gala slated for Kigali in December presented an opportunity for a charm offensive in support of Rwanda’s bid. Numerous Formula 1 bigwigs including drivers, officials and executives of rights holders Liberty Media are expected to attend the event.
“The fact that they’re talking is huge,” Hart said, while noting that the bid would still face competition from other countries vying for a spot on the F1 calendar, such as Thailand whose government has also been pushing for a grand prix.
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Formula 1 has previously expressed interest in adding a race in Africa to cement its status as a world championship. A return to the Kyalami Circuit in South Africa was long considered the frontrunner, but plans to add it to the 2024 calendar stalled last year. Eight-time Formula 1 winner Lewis Hamilton is among prominent figures that have voiced support for the hosting of a grand prix in South Africa.
Hosting a Formula 1 race often costs upwards of $50 million depending on the timing of the race, some of the most expensive races are estimated to have cost around $500 million, such as in Las Vegas. For Rwanda there will also be tens of millions of dollars needed to invest in building motor racing infrastructure and much more.
Room for Disagreement
Critics of Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame have accused him of sportswashing, putting the country’s partnerships with global sports organizations such as England’s Arsenal and France’s Paris St Germain football clubs under sharp scrutiny. ESPN in July published details of a year-long examination of the NBA’s partnership with Rwanda, contrasting it with Kagame’s human rights and democratic credentials.
“It’s as if the NBA invited and partnered with a mosquito to do a campaign about health,” said Mohamed Keita, the Human Rights Foundation’s senior Africa policy adviser.