The Rwanda is taking a bold trajectory in the world of global sport. The country recently submitted a proposal to host a Grand Prix of Formula 1a project which is now under study by the Formula One Group. Stefano Domenicali, F1 CEOconfirmed Rwanda’s interest, emphasizing the solidity of the proposal. “They are serious. They presented a good plan and we have a meeting with them at the end of September. This will be an ongoing project”said Domenicali.
Rwanda’s desire to become a Formula 1 host has caught the attention of the seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton. The British driver has been a strong supporter of the organization of races on the African continent, and he has not hidden his involvement in this project. “Rwanda is one of my favorite places. I worked a lot on this project behind the scenes”confided Hamilton. He believes that organizing a Grand Prix in Africa would have positive repercussions, both for promoting the quality of the competition and for attracting more tourists to the continent. “We cannot add races in other places while continuing to ignore Africa”he added.
In 2022, Hamilton had already launched a call for Formula 1 to return to Africa, a continent absent from the calendar since 1993, the year of the last race in Kyalami, South Africa. If a plan for a Grand Prix in Kyalami for 2023 did not come to fruition, Rwanda now seems in a better position to make this dream a reality.
Hosting a Formula 1 Grand Prix would further strengthen Rwanda’s positioning as a key player in international sport. In addition to being the destination of the NBA’s prestigious Basketball Africa League, the country has implemented a development strategy based on the use of sport as a lever of soft power. The Rwandan President Paul Kagame has always highlighted the role of sport in the modernization of the country and in its international attractiveness.
The Formula One Group met with Rwandan officials last September to discuss details of the project. A decision could be made by the end of the year, allowing Rwanda to join the few African nations that have hosted sporting events of this scale. If the project is validated, it will mark a major turning point in the sporting history of the African continent, making Rwanda an essential destination for lovers of speed and thrills.
In addition to increasing Rwanda’s international visibility, the organization of a Grand Prix could bring significant economic benefits. Tourism, a pillar of the national economy, would benefit from the arrival of visitors who come to attend this prestigious event. Additionally, it would strengthen local infrastructure, creating long-term employment and development opportunities.
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