Formula 1 to return to Africa with 10-year Rwanda Grand Prix deal

Formula 1 is set to return to Africa for the first time in more than three decades, with Rwanda securing a 10-year agreement to host a Grand Prix beginning in the early 2030s.

Announced Oct. 13, the Formula 1 African Grand Prix, presented by Visit Rwanda, will take place at a purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, approximately 40 kilometres south of the capital, Kigali.

The agreement marks the championship’s return to Africa for the first time since the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami.

Rwanda would become the third African country to host a Formula 1 World Championship race, following Morocco in 1958 and South Africa, which last hosted the event in 1993.

New circuit planned near Kigali

The circuit will be built adjacent to the new Kigali International Airport, which is expected to open in early 2028.

Designed to meet FIA Grade 1 standards required for Formula 1 racing, the six-kilometre track is planned to feature 17 corners and incorporate the area’s natural hills and elevation changes.

Former Formula 1 driver Alex Wurz of Wurz Designs and Carsten Tilke of Tilke Engineering are involved in the circuit’s design.

According to Jean-Guy Afrika, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board, the venue is planned to accommodate up to 100,000 spectators.

Beyond Grand Prix weekends, the venue is intended to host other motorsport competitions, concerts, conferences and major events throughout the year. Plans also include a karting facility, driving experience centre and off-road courses.

The circuit forms part of a wider sports, tourism, infrastructure and commercial development project led by the Rwanda Development Board.

Rwanda expands its international events portfolio

The Grand Prix agreement follows Rwanda’s hosting of several international events, including the 2025 UCI Road World Championships, the 2023 FIFA Congress and the 2024 FIA Awards ceremony.

The country has also promoted itself internationally through its Visit Rwanda tourism campaign and sponsorship partnerships in football, basketball and cycling.

Afrika said the decision to call the event the African Grand Prix, rather than the Rwanda or Kigali Grand Prix, reflects an ambition to involve the wider continent.

“We want to make it bigger than just Rwanda,” he said.

Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda, said the agreement is intended to generate benefits beyond the race itself.

“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 inaugural race date has not been confirmed and will depend on completion of the circuit. Formula 1 said further details about the development and race weekend plans will be announced at a later date.