Updated

Updated · abcnews.com · Oct 13

Formula 1 Confirms 10-Year Rwanda Grand Prix Deal From Early 2030s as Africa Returns After 1993

Updated

Updated · abcnews.com · Oct 13

Formula 1 Confirms 10-Year Rwanda Grand Prix Deal From Early 2030s as Africa Returns After 1993

Q: Which iconic Grand Prix will be axed from the calendar to make room for Rwanda's controversial new circuit?

No iconic Grand Prix has been identified for removal yet. Formula 1 has only said that Rwanda’s race, expected in the early 2030s, will likely require a place to be freed on a 24-race calendar. The announcement does not name any event that will be axed, and no final decision has been made. Based on contract timelines cited in the reporting, the most vulnerable races appear to be those with deals expiring before Rwanda is due to arrive. Mexico City, Portugal and Singapore are currently contracted through 2028, while Japan runs through 2029. Of those, Portugal and Mexico City are often mentioned as less secure than long-established cornerstone events such as Monaco, Silverstone, Monza or Spa. So the accurate answer is that no “iconic” Grand Prix has been chosen to make way for Rwanda. At this stage, any suggestion that a famous race will definitely be dropped is speculation rather than fact.

3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Oct 13

Rwanda will host Formula 1’s first African race since 1993 under a 10-year agreement, with the debut planned for the early 2030s once a new circuit is built near Kigali.
Bugesera, about 40 kilometers southeast of the capital, will get a purpose-built track near an airport under construction, part of President Paul Kagame’s push to use F1 to boost tourism, jobs and revenue diversification.
The deal gives F1 a foothold on every inhabited continent and answers years of lobbying for an African race, including by seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.
Rwanda, where GDP per capita is just over $1,100, will join a calendar of wealthier host cities while likely drawing renewed scrutiny over Kagame’s human rights record and accusations of sportswashing.
South Africa and Morocco had also pursued African race projects, but F1’s statement named only Rwanda, making it the first confirmed new host nation since Qatar and Saudi Arabia joined in 2021.

Sources

Left50%

Center50%

abcnews.com9h ago

Formula 1 Confirms Rwanda Grand Prix from Early 2030s, Returning to Africa

KLRT - FOX16.com9h ago

Formula 1 announces return to Africa with Grand Prix in Rwanda in early 2030s | KLRT - FOX16.com

newscord.org8h ago

Formula 1 Confirms 10-Year Rwanda Grand Prix Deal, Ending Africa Absence Since 1993: 30 outlets compared | NewsCord

10 Sources

Which iconic Grand Prix will be axed from the calendar to make room for Rwanda's controversial new circuit?

Will mounting allegations of conflict mineral trafficking and sportswashing force Formula 1 to abandon its historic African return?

Formula 1 Returns to Africa: The 10-Year Rwanda Grand Prix Deal, Economic Stakes, and Controversy

Overview

Formula 1’s 10-year deal with Rwanda marks a historic return to Africa, driven by strong lobbying from top drivers and Rwanda’s clear government commitment. The Bugesera Circuit, designed to blend with the region’s hilly landscape, features dramatic elevation changes and high-altitude challenges, making it unique among F1 tracks. Organizers plan to schedule the race during Rwanda’s dry season to avoid heavy rains. The event is expected to boost local business, tourism, and technical skills, but also faces criticism from human rights groups who warn of 'sportswashing.' Despite concerns, the project aims to create lasting economic and social benefits for Rwanda.

...