Several African GP bids 'fighting' for F1 race deal

Oct.11 (GMM) Several projects on the continent appear to be in competition for a future African GP.

This year’s FIA prize gala will take place in Rwanda, with the East African country also working on a grand prix project that F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has described as a “good plan”.

There are concerns, however, not only about the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, but about how poor the country is. “A country whose GDP is made up 40 percent by Western aid should not be allowed in Formula 1,” an unnamed F1 team boss told Auto Bild.

Another African GP project is shaping up in South Africa as well.

South Africa’s sports minister Gayton McKenzie told the ‘The South African’ newspaper: “I can tell you this – F1 is definitely coming.

“F1 told us they’re keen to come, they told us what they’ll need to come, and we are going to give them what they need to come,” he added.

The last grand prix on African soil took place at Kyalami, north of Johannesburg, in 1993.

Minister McKenzie continued: “There’s still a big fight at the moment. Is it Cape Town, or is it Joburg? That decision has not been taken.”