Formula 1 chiefs have scheduled talks with representatives of Rwanda next month as the African country bids to push forward with plans to host a grand prix.
As F1 eyes future calendar expansion to make the most of the championship’s boom in interest around the world, it has been clear that having a race on the African continent is a key target.
While a number of countries in the region have expressed a desire to host F1 races, it is understood that Rwanda’s plans are at an advanced enough stage for more serious discussions to take place.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Autosport, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said a meeting had been set up with Rwanda to talk about the project, which he said showed some promise.
“They are serious,” said Domenicali. “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.”
Rwanda has shown an increasing interest in motor racing, with representatives of the Rwanda Development Board travelling to the Monaco Grand Prix this year to meet with the FIA.
Sir Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15, leads Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, and the rest of the field at the start of the Sprint
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
The East African country will also be hosting this year’s FIA Annual General Assembly and Prize Giving Ceremony at its capital city Kigali in December.
With F1 having hit its target of expansion in the United States and happy with the three races it has there in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas, it is now looking at where else around the world it needs to focus its effort.
Domenicali said that Africa, which has not hosted an F1 race since the 1993 South African Grand Prix, was something being seriously evaluated.
“We want to go to Africa, but we need to have the right investment, and the right strategic plan,” said Domenicali.
“We need to have the right moment, and we need to make sure that also in that country, in that region, in that continent, there is the right welcoming, because, of course, they have other priorities. We need to be always very careful in making the right choices.”
Domenicali said that F1 was now at a stage where there was enough interest around the world for it to pick the best calendar it possibly could.
“Up until 2020 we were in a situation where the number of places that wanted to host F1 were not so numerous.
Srettha Thavisin, Prime Minister of Thailand, Stefano Domenicali, CEO, Formula One Group
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
“Therefore we were not able to apply what I would say was a constructive pressure to grow what we can offer to our customers and to our fans.
“Now, we are on the other side. We have so many places around the world that wants 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 tune the ones that we are discussing to see what will be the future in the middle term.
“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.”
One other likely new addition to the calendar over the next few years is the addition of a Thailand Grand Prix, with the government there pushing hard.
Domenicali said he planned to travel to the country after this year’s Singapore Grand Prix to evaluate the latest on the project, which originally was planned to be a street race around Bangkok, but could now be something different.
He added: “With Bangkok, we have different options on the table. I am going to be in Bangkok after Singapore to go through this.”