F1 returns to Africa: Rwanda's African Grand Prix confirmed on 10-year deal from the early 2030s

Formula 1 is going back to Africa. On Tuesday, 13 October 2026, the sport confirmed a 10-year agreement for an African Grand Prix in Rwanda, to be held at a new purpose-built circuit in Bugesera once construction is complete, which is expected in the early 2030s. The announcement was made in Kigali, with F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali sharing the stage with Rwandan President Paul Kagame and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

Where the new circuit will be

The track is planned for Bugesera in Rwanda's Eastern Province, roughly 40km south of the capital Kigali. It will sit next to the new Kigali International Airport that is being built in the same area, and it is part of a wider development project led by the Rwanda Development Board.

The circuit is being built to FIA Grade 1 standard, the level required to host a Formula 1 race. According to F1, the design aims to use the natural elevation changes of the site and to fit in with the surrounding landscape. An early image released with the announcement is not the final layout, and design work is still continuing.

Designers with a Malaysian connection

The layout is being drawn up by WurzDesign, the company led by former F1 driver Alex Wurz, working together with Tilke Engineers and Architects. Tilke is well known to Malaysian fans: the German firm designed the Sepang International Circuit, which hosted the Malaysian Grand Prix from 1999 to 2017, and has worked on many modern F1 venues across Asia and the Middle East.

Details such as track length, number of corners and spectator capacity have not been released yet. F1 said information about the first race date, circuit construction milestones and race weekend plans will follow later.

Ending a wait that dates back to 1993

Formula 1 last raced in Africa at the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami, a race won by Alain Prost for Williams. Morocco and South Africa are the only African countries to have hosted world championship rounds, so Rwanda will become the continent's third F1 host.

Domenicali described the deal as "a landmark moment for Formula 1", noting that the sport will now race on every inhabited continent. Ben Sulayem said Africa deserves its place at the top level of motorsport and stressed the importance of grassroots development, while Kagame thanked F1 and the FIA for their work on the agreement.

Rwanda has already hosted major FIA business in recent years, including the 2024 FIA General Assemblies and the FIA Awards ceremony in Kigali, when the country first set out its interest in staging a grand prix.

A long campaign, led in part by Hamilton

Calls for an African race have grown louder in recent seasons. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, now driving for Ferrari, has repeatedly said he wants F1 to race in Africa before he retires. With the first race not expected until the early 2030s, whether he will still be on the grid when it happens remains an open question.

The deal also arrived with a technical twist. At the same event, Ben Sulayem said he expects F1 to switch to V8 engines in 2030 and suggested the new engine could debut in Rwanda, although neither F1 nor the FIA's official announcement of the race mentions an engine or a specific year.

What happens next

For now, the next stop on the current calendar is the United States Grand Prix in Austin from 23 to 25 October, where the 2026 title race could be settled. The Rwanda project, meanwhile, moves into a long construction phase, with the first race date still to be confirmed.

Key takeaways

• F1 has signed a 10-year deal for an African Grand Prix in Rwanda.
• The new circuit is in Bugesera, about 40km south of Kigali, next to the new Kigali International Airport.
• WurzDesign and Tilke, the firm behind Sepang, are designing the FIA Grade 1 track.
• The first race is expected in the early 2030s; no exact date has been announced.
• F1 has not raced in Africa since Kyalami in 1993.

FAQ

When will the first African Grand Prix in Rwanda take place? No date has been set. F1 says the race will join the calendar once the circuit is finished, which is expected in the early 2030s.

When did F1 last race in Africa? The last race was the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami, won by Alain Prost.

Who is designing the Rwanda circuit? Alex Wurz's WurzDesign is working with Tilke Engineers and Architects, the company that designed Malaysia's Sepang International Circuit.

Sources: Formula1.com, PlanetF1, RacingNews365, Yahoo Sports