Formula 1 returns to Africa: Rwanda secures a ten-year Grand Prix deal
Formula 1 plans to hold an African Grand Prix in Rwanda in the early 2030s. On October 13, the championship organisers announced a ten-year agreement providing for the construction of a new circuit in the Bugesera area, approximately 40 kilometres from Kigali. The last Formula 1 race on the continent took place in 1993 at South Africa's Kyalami circuit.
The first race in Rwanda will take place only after construction is completed and the circuit is approved for top-level competition. No specific debut date has been set yet. These conditions are set out in Formula 1's official announcement.
A straight over a kilometre long and 197 metres of elevation gain
The circuit will be located next to an international airport under construction. It is being designed around the hilly terrain: over a single lap, drivers will climb a total of approximately 197 metres. This does not refer to the height of a single hill, but to the combined elevation gain across the circuit's uphill sections.
Carsten Tilke, a representative of circuit design company Tilke, told Reuters that the track will feature a straight more than a kilometre long, followed by heavy braking before a corner. He said this should create overtaking opportunities. Other sections will run alongside a lake and between two hills, where natural spectator areas are planned.
Former Formula 1 driver Alex Wurz, who is involved in the design, compared the future circuit to a roller coaster. The paddock is planned across several terraces, making use of the local terrain. The organisers intend to use the complex beyond the Grand Prix itself.
Why Rwanda was chosen
The country has consistently pursued major sporting events. In 2024, Kigali hosted the FIA awards ceremony, where Rwanda publicly announced its ambition to stage a race. In 2025, the country hosted the Road World Championships, held on the African continent for the first time.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton had advocated for Formula 1's return to Africa for several years. After the agreement was announced, Rwandan President Paul Kagame called it an important milestone for African fans.
The decision also drew criticism from human rights organisations, which accuse Rwanda's authorities of human rights violations and of using major sporting events to improve the country's international image. Nevertheless, the Grand Prix agreement has already been signed, and the next stage of the project is the circuit's construction and certification.