Talks to add Rwanda to the list of countries that host Formula One races have reached an advanced stage, raising the possibility of the country being included on the 2030 calendar.
Rwanda has long expressed its desire to host one of the world’s most prestigious motor racing competitions, Formula One, especially as it has been 33 years since the competition was last held in Africa.
The request was reinforced by President Paul Kagame in 2024, when Rwanda became the first African country to host the General Assembly of the International Automobile Federation (FIA).
In 2025, Kagame again met with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who supports Rwanda’s bid, and Formula One President Stefano Domenicali for further talks to refine the project. But Rwanda is not alone. Other countries, including Nigeria, Morocco and South Africa, have also continued to show a strong desire to bring the race back to Africa.
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Rwanda’s talks reach promising stage
Motorsport news outlet RacingNews365 reported that Rwanda’s negotiations have reached a promising stage and that details of the partnership between the two sides will be announced shortly, within this year.
Under the proposed partnership, Rwanda would be placed on the 2030 Formula One calendar, joining countries that host races during the year.
It is said that a dedicated permanent circuit for the race would be built 40 kilometres from the City of Kigali, specifically near the new Kigali International Airport under construction in Bugesera District. The circuit could be designed by racetrack design expert Alexander Wurz, a former Formula One driver, through his company WurzDesign.
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What is Formula One?
Formula One is a motorsport competition featuring high performance single-seater cars and is regarded as the pinnacle of motor racing, largely because of its speed, advanced technology and global fan following.
The competition is normally held in different parts of the world through races known as Grands Prix, which take place on purpose-built circuits or regular roads that are closed to public traffic.
Each race awards points to drivers and teams based on their performance. These points are accumulated throughout the season to determine the world champions.
