Formula 1 is set to make its return to Africa for the first time in four decades, following a 10-year agreement signed with Rwanda. The East African nation will join the Formula 1 calendar in the early 2030s, featuring a purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, located south of the capital, Kigali.
Rwanda has secured its spot on the calendar over other contenders, including South Africa, which last hosted a Formula 1 Grand Prix in 1993. Rwandan President Paul Kagame stated that the announcement "belongs to Africa," adding that the agreement changes the fact that the championship has raced without the continent for over three decades.
President Kagame also noted that the Bugesera circuit, alongside a new international airport, is expected to bring jobs, skills, tourism, and new business to Rwanda and the wider region for decades. The Grand Prix has already secured Visit Rwanda, a state-backed tourism board, as its title sponsor.
Stefano Domenicali, president of Formula 1, called today a "landmark moment" for the sport. He highlighted that with Rwanda joining the calendar, Formula 1 will race on every inhabited continent, bringing the world championship closer to fans globally.