Formula 1 agrees ten-year deal to return to Africa with Rwanda Grand Prix
A new circuit in Bugesera, south of Kigali, will host the African Grand Prix from early next decade, ending the championship's absence from the continent since 1993.
Formula 1 will return to Africa for the first time in more than three decades after agreeing a ten-year deal for an African Grand Prix in Rwanda, announced by President Paul Kagame at a ceremony in Kigali on Tuesday.
The race, presented by Visit Rwanda, will be held at a new purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, roughly 40 kilometres south of the capital. Formula 1 said the first event is expected early in the next decade, once construction is complete.
The circuit
According to the Press Association, Formula 1 said the layout has been designed to work with the natural landscape and to use the area's changes in elevation, and drivers are expected to be consulted before the design is finalised. PlanetF1 reported that the designers of the venue, known as the RISE Motordrome, have described steep elevation changes, fast corners and lakeside sections.
Reaction
"Today belongs to Africa," Kagame said at the launch, according to Sky Sports, adding that the sport had raced without the continent for more than 30 years. Formula 1 president and chief executive Stefano Domenicali called it a "landmark moment for Formula One", the Press Association reported, while FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem described the agreement as historic.
The deal has also drawn criticism. Sky Sports reported that Felix Jakens of Amnesty International UK accused Rwanda of using major sport to improve its image and deflect attention from its human rights record. PlanetF1 reported that Kagame has urged critics not to rush to judgement.
Background and significance
Africa is the only inhabited continent without a Formula 1 race. The last African round was the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami. Lewis Hamilton, F1's most successful driver by race wins, has campaigned publicly for the championship to return to Africa. Rwanda formally launched its bid at an FIA gathering in December 2024.
The Rwandan government has invested heavily in sports sponsorship through its Visit Rwanda tourism brand, including football partnerships with Aston Villa and Paris Saint-Germain. Arsenal ended their sleeve sponsorship after pressure from supporters, Sky Sports reported.
The announcement adds to pressure on a crowded calendar. Sky Sports noted that Portugal returns in 2027 on a two-year deal, while the contracts for Mexico and Singapore currently run until 2028 and Japan's until 2029. Analysis: with the calendar near its practical limit, a new long-term African race is likely to intensify negotiations over which existing venues keep their places in the next decade.
What happens next
Construction of the Bugesera circuit must be completed before a race date can be set. On track, the 2026 season continues with the United States Grand Prix in Austin from 23 to 25 October.
Sources
Sky Sports, report on Rwanda's ten-year African Grand Prix agreement, 13 October 2026: https://www.skysports.com/share/13598721
Press Association via Irish Examiner, "African Grand Prix gets green light as long-term Rwanda deal agreed", 13 October 2026: https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/othersport/arid-41923501.html
PlanetF1, Latest F1 News (Rwanda circuit details and reaction), 13 to 14 October 2026: https://www.planetf1.com/news