Rwanda has formally announced its intention to hold an annual Formula 1 race.
Africa has been absent from the annual calendar for more than 30 years. The last F1 event held on the continent was in 1993 when the last South African Grand Prix was run at the Kyalami track, near Johannesburg.
South Africa remains keen to see F1 racing return to its land and refurbishment work is set to take place at Kyalami to bring it up to the FIA Grade 1 standard needed to host F1 cars. Lewis Hamilton has spoken with potential organisers both there and in Rwanda about the possibility of creating an African race event.
And, ahead of the FIA's Prize Giving event in the country on Friday, the latter announced details of its pitch for a place on the annual schedule. Paul Kagame, the Rwandan president, said: "I am happy to formally announce that Rwanda is bidding to bring the thrill of racing back to Africa, by hosting a Formula 1 grand prix.
"A big thank you to Stefano Domenicali and the entire team at F1 for the good progress in our discussions so far. I assure you we are approaching this opportunity with the seriousness and commitment it deserves."
A new track is being planned close to the Bugesera International Airport, near the capital Kigali. Construction on the airport began back in 2017 and is slated for completion by 2026.
The area in which the track is set to be built is hilly and organisers hope to use that terrain to complement the circuit. It is being designed, as reported by Autosport, by former F1 driver Alexander Wurz who also currently serves as the head of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association.
As alluded to by the Rwandan president, F1 chief executive Domenicali has, for many months now, been in talks with the country over a potential future event. Both the Italian and FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem are aligned in their desire to see the sport return to Africa.
The latter met with Richard Nyirishema, the country's sports minister, in Kigali this week. "To be here in Rwanda for such an important moment in the FIA's calendar is a testament to the strength of this nation, in particular its growing influence in motorsport," Ben Sulayem said.
"We are aligned on our values and shared goals across key sectors such as innovation, sustainability, and road safety, and I look forward to our continued partnership. The future of motorsport in Africa is bright."
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