FORMULA 1 SET TO RETURN TO AFRICA WITH RWANDA GRAND PRIX FROM 2030
Formula 1 is set to return to Africa, with Rwanda reportedly reaching an agreement to host a Grand Prix from 2030. According to RacingNews365, the agreement has been reached and an official announcement could be made later this year, potentially within the coming weeks.
The race would be held at a new permanent circuit located around 40 kilometres from Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, near Bugesera International Airport. The project would be built specifically to meet the requirements of Formula 1 and would give the country a permanent venue for international motorsport.
The circuit plans are linked to WurzDesign, the company founded by former Formula 1 driver Alexander Wurz. The project is also connected to Tilke Engineering, which has worked on several Formula 1 circuits around the world.
Rwanda’s interest in hosting Formula 1 became official in December 2024, when President Paul Kagame announced the country’s bid during the FIA General Assembly and Prize Giving Ceremony in Kigali. At the time, Rwanda did not have a circuit capable of hosting a Formula 1 race, but plans for a new permanent facility were already being developed.
The location could also benefit from the development of New Kigali International Airport near Bugesera. In June 2026, the Qatar Investment Authority announced a $1.1 billion additional investment to complete the airport project, which includes a 4.5-kilometre runway and a terminal designed to handle five million passengers.
If the 2030 race goes ahead, it would be the first Formula 1 Grand Prix in Africa since the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami. The continent has been absent from the calendar for more than three decades, despite continued interest from countries including South Africa, Morocco and Nigeria.
South Africa had been one of the main candidates for F1’s return to Africa, with efforts focused on bringing the championship back to Kyalami. Rwanda’s reported agreement would therefore represent a major development in the competition to bring the championship back to the continent.
The possible return to Africa has also received strong support from within Formula 1. Lewis Hamilton has repeatedly called for the championship to race on the continent and has spoken about wanting to compete in an African Grand Prix before the end of his career.
For now, the Rwanda Grand Prix remains based on reports rather than an officially confirmed Formula 1 calendar entry. Formula 1 and the Rwandan government have yet to make the final announcement, but the reported agreement represents the strongest indication so far that Africa could return to the F1 calendar in 2030.
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