News Summary
- Rwanda has reportedly reached an agreement to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix from 2030
- A new permanent circuit is planned approximately 40km from Kigali, near Bugesera International Airport
- The race would mark F1’s first event in Africa since the 1993 South African GP at Kyalami
Formula 1 is reportedly set to return to Africa in 2030 after Rwanda reached an agreement to host a new Grand Prix near Kigali.
According to RacingNews365, multiple well-placed paddock sources have indicated that Rwanda has been selected to bring F1 back to the continent, with 2030 identified as the planned first season. Formula 1 has not officially confirmed the agreement, but the report indicates an announcement could come later in 2026, potentially within the next few weeks.
The development would represent a major step forward for a project that Rwanda has pursued publicly since 2024. President Paul Kagame formally announced the country’s Formula 1 bid when Kigali hosted the FIA General Assemblies and Prize Giving Ceremony in December of that year, saying discussions with F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali had already made progress.
If the reported agreement is completed and the race joins the calendar in 2030, Formula 1 would return to Africa for the first time in 37 years.
Rwanda plans new permanent F1 circuit near Kigali
Unlike South Africa’s efforts to revive Kyalami, Rwanda does not currently possess a circuit capable of hosting Formula 1. Its proposal therefore requires an entirely new venue.
The planned permanent circuit would be built approximately 40km from Kigali, near Bugesera International Airport, according to the report. The project is based on designs produced by WurzDesign, the company founded by former Formula 1 driver Alexander Wurz.
WurzDesign is also involved alongside Tilke Engineering in the Qiddiya Speed Park project in Saudi Arabia.
Rwanda’s plans have been known for some time, but the reported agreement represents a significant development from the original bidding stage. Kagame attended the 2025 Azerbaijan GP and has maintained contact with Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem as the country continued working on the project.
When announcing the bid in 2024, Kagame said Rwanda was approaching the possibility with “seriousness and commitment” and thanked Formula 1 for the progress already made in discussions.
The new circuit would still need to be constructed and meet the FIA Grade 1 requirements necessary to host Formula 1 before a Grand Prix could take place.
F1 could return to Africa after 37 years
Africa has been absent from the Formula 1 calendar since March 14, 1993, when Alain Prost won the South African GP at Kyalami for Williams.
The continent had previously played a significant role in the championship. South Africa hosted 23 World Championship Grands Prix between 1962 and 1993, first at East London and later at Kyalami, but repeated attempts to restore an African race have failed during the three decades since.
Formula 1 has increasingly discussed correcting that absence in recent years. Domenicali has repeatedly acknowledged the importance of returning to Africa, while Lewis Hamilton has been one of the strongest advocates among the drivers.
The seven-time world champion has argued publicly that Africa should be represented on a championship that has expanded across North America, Asia and the Middle East.
A 2030 Rwanda GP would finally achieve that return, but the reported agreement remains subject to formal confirmation from Formula 1.
What does Rwanda deal mean for South Africa?
The development also raises an immediate question over South Africa’s long-running attempt to return to the calendar.
Kyalami has pursued the FIA Grade 1 accreditation required to host Formula 1, while Cape Town has also been associated with proposals for a race. South African officials have continued to work on bringing the championship back despite acknowledging the scale and complexity of the project.
Rwanda’s reported agreement does not automatically mean Formula 1 could never race in South Africa. The championship has multiple races in individual regions and has not publicly stated that Africa would be limited permanently to a single Grand Prix.
But calendar space is increasingly scarce, and Rwanda reaching an agreement for 2030 would give it a substantial advantage in the competition to host F1’s return to Africa.
Morocco and Nigeria have also been linked with potential Formula 1 projects, although neither has been confirmed for the calendar.
Rwanda’s F1 project began publicly in 2024
Rwanda’s Formula 1 ambitions became official during the FIA’s 2024 General Assemblies in Kigali.
Kagame used his opening address to announce formally that the country was bidding for a Grand Prix and said discussions with Formula 1 had already progressed.
“I am happy to formally announce that Rwanda is bidding to bring the thrill of racing back to Africa, by hosting a Formula 1 Grand Prix,” Kagame said at the time.
“A big thank you to Stefano Domenicali, and the entire team at Formula 1, for the good progress in our discussions so far. I assure you that we are approaching this opportunity with the seriousness and commitment, which it deserves.”
The lack of an existing Grade 1 circuit was always the central obstacle, which is why the purpose-built venue near Bugesera forms such an important part of the proposal.
Reports during the development of the project had suggested Rwanda could target 2029. The latest information instead identifies 2030 as the planned year for the country’s first Formula 1 Grand Prix.
For now, Formula 1 has not added Rwanda to its official calendar or announced a race contract.
The reported agreement nevertheless represents the most significant development yet in Rwanda’s campaign and could put Formula 1 on course to race in Africa again 37 years after its last visit to Kyalami.
GRANDE PRÊMIO follows all the latest Formula 1 news and developments surrounding the championship’s future calendar.
F1 today: FAQ
What time is the 2026 Singapore GP?
The Singapore GP starts at 20:00 local time on Sunday, October 11. That is 13:00 in the UK, 08:00 ET in the US and Canada and 17:30 in India. Singapore is a sprint weekend, with sprint qualifying on Friday and the sprint on Saturday.
Why does George Russell have a grid penalty in Singapore?
Russell has exhausted his permitted allocation of four engines after suffering a power-unit failure at Sepang. Mercedes must introduce another unit, triggering a grid penalty for Sunday’s Grand Prix. The penalty does not apply to Saturday’s sprint.
Can Kimi Antonelli win the F1 championship in Singapore?
No. Antonelli leads Russell by 84 points, 320 to 236, but cannot mathematically secure the 2026 title in Singapore. His first opportunity to become world champion comes at the United States GP in Austin.
Is Formula 1 going to race in Rwanda?
Rwanda has reportedly reached an agreement to host Formula 1 beginning in 2030, according to RacingNews365. Formula 1 has not yet officially announced the Rwanda GP, so the race should not yet be treated as formally confirmed on the calendar.
