Kyalami, Rwanda, go head-to-head for African GP

Nov.1 (GMM) Africa seems to be inching towards a place on the Formula 1 calendar.

It is the only continent on earth not represented within the world championship, with two clear contenders for a deal with Liberty Media.

They are the circuit at Kyalami, having last hosted the South African GP in 1993, and Rwanda. Rwanda’s separate project appears to be strongly backed by F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali as well as the FIA, who are organising the end-of-season prize gala in the east-central African nation.

“Potentially Rwanda is on the cards, which is amazing,” Lewis Hamilton said ahead of the Brazilian GP. “I just hope it comes in before I’m gone.

“That’s my biggest dream – to make sure I get to race there before I retire.”

However, organisers of a potential F1 return to Kyalami revealed on Thursday that South African sports minister Gayton McKenzie met with Domenicali just last month. The minister even said he had an “extremely good meeting” with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem at the Azerbaijan GP.

Kyalami officials declared on Thursday that the circuit is working hard to restore full F1-ready FIA Grade 1 accreditation at the venue located near Johannesburg.

Circuit officials said in a media statement: “Whilst negotiations with various players, including Liberty Media, continue tirelessly behind the scenes, South Africans can rest assured that there will be a suitable home for the return of Formula 1.”

Separately, a Kyalami spokesman told IOL that the track could be ready for Formula 1 in 2027 “or possibly even a late 2026 entry”.