Formula 1 hasn’t raced on African soil since Alain Prost’s victory at the 1993 South African Grand Prix held at Kyalami Circuit. However, a return to the continent could be on the horizon as early as 2026, with Rwanda emerging as a surprise contender.
“I don’t see big changes coming in the short term, but in the next couple of months we need to discuss what will be ’26, ’27 and ’28. We have different options but we are in a good place,” Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali told Autosport. “They [Rwanda] are serious. They have presented a good plan and actually we have a meeting with them at the end of September. It will be on a permanent track.”
According to Autosport, a Rwandan delegation met with FIA officials at this year’s Monaco Grand Prix. This is typically one of the initial stages in the process, as potential hosts need to discuss the construction of a new racetrack, either permanent or temporary. Additionally, concurrent discussions are required with the FIA regarding track safety and with Liberty Media to negotiate hosting fees, promoter contracts, and TV rights.
The location of the meeting between Domenicali and Rwandan representatives remains unknown, but possibilities include the Azerbaijan or Singapore Grand Prix. This, naturally, reignites concerns about logistics and calendar length. The current F1 season already boasts a demanding schedule with 24 races spread across February to December. Adding Rwanda without dropping another race would inflate the calendar to 25 races, likely extending the season by at least a week, potentially even two.
“We have so many places around the world that want to host F1 that it allows us to make sure that we are working together with all of them to grow the experience. With 24 races, I see that there’s a number that will be stable, and we can really turn to the ones that we are discussing to see what will be the future,” added Domenicali.