Formula 1 has agreed a 10-year deal to bring the World Championship back to Africa for the first time since 1993, with Rwanda set to host a new Grand Prix from the early 2030s.
The agreement will see a purpose-built circuit developed in Bugesera, approximately 40 kilometres south of Kigali, as part of a broader sports, tourism and infrastructure project led by the Rwanda Development Board.
The Formula 1 African Grand Prix, presented by Visit Rwanda, would become the championship’s first race on the African continent since the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami, ending an absence of more than three decades.
The project represents an expansion of Formula 1’s global calendar and a long-term commercial commitment to Africa, where the championship says it already has more than 100 million fans.
New circuit planned near Kigali’s international airport
The circuit will be built to FIA Grade 1 standards in Bugesera, alongside Rwanda’s new Kigali International Airport. Its design will incorporate the area’s natural elevation changes.
The wider development is intended to operate year-round as a destination for motorsport, entertainment, conferences and other major events, extending its potential economic impact beyond the Grand Prix weekend.
The inaugural race remains dependent on the circuit’s completion, which is expected in the early 2030s. An exact date has yet to be confirmed.
Formula 1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali described the agreement as a landmark moment for the championship.
“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,” Domenicali said.
Rwanda targets long-term economic benefits
The agreement forms part of Rwanda’s wider strategy to attract international sporting events, tourism and investment. The country has previously hosted the UCI Road World Championships, Basketball Africa League events and the FIA’s 2024 General Assemblies and Awards Ceremony.
Rwandan president Paul Kagame said the 10-year partnership was intended to deliver benefits beyond hosting a single race.
“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,” Kagame said.
The project links the Grand Prix with wider infrastructure development, with the circuit and airport expected to support tourism and business activity in the surrounding region.
Africa represents a growth opportunity for Formula 1
Formula 1 views Africa as a significant opportunity to expand its global audience. The championship reports that almost 60% of its fans in key sub-Saharan African markets are under the age of 35, highlighting the region’s potential to attract younger audiences.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem welcomed the agreement, describing the championship’s return to Africa as a historic moment and an important step in motorsport’s continued global expansion.
The FIA will work with Formula 1 Management and its partners on the circuit’s development. Further details on construction milestones and the inaugural race are expected to be announced in due course.