There has been much talk in recent years about Formula One returning to race in Africa. Lewis Hamilton has spoken on the topic several times and revealed in Belgium last year, “I’ve been pushing a lot in the background to get the grand prix there,” said the Mercedes driver. “I’m happy that there’s talks.”
Yet the talks led to nothing and the vacant spring slot on the F1 calendar reserved for South Africa proved to be a reprieve for the Belgium GP which was set to be dropped.
South African GP hosting fee guaranteed
TimesLIVE had reported that SA billionaire businessman Patrice Motsepe had agreed to sponsor the $35m (R590m) hosting fee for a local race.
However, rumour had it that the $7m required to upgrade the Kyalami circuit had not been found and so the circuit remains without the necessary FIA grade 1 certification required to host Formula 1.
Confirming the event would not proceed, Warren Scheckter, CEO of South African Grand Prix, moved to quash rumours that the event was short of cash.
Circuit fails FIA standards for F1
“I have seen some of the reports put out, with most of the information being incorrect. Unfortunately, I am not at liberty to provide detail, but there will be no 2023 South African Grand Prix.”
The deals for a modern Formula One promoter tend to be multi-year and usually for at least 5 years. There was also a question mark whether Motsepe was prepared to commit to such a timescale.
According to Racing365 there have been rumours that a Miami entertainment company has joined the fray and offered to co-sponsor a South African GP at Kyalami, though FOM are believed to have issued a deadline of March 31st 2023 for all contracts and finance to be agreed and in place.
Another missed deadline – a permanent reprieve for Belgium
Should the deadline come and go without the contracts being signed, this would pave the way for a permanent reprieve for the Belgium GP.
The Formula One right’s holders and the FIA will surely refuse to be subject to the annual debacle around the South African GP and instruct the promoters of the race in Spa to complete the necessary circuit improvements and award them a five year contract.
READ MORE: FIA president hints Andretti could be signed up “next week”
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
We’ll see.
Why use the old apartheid flag of South Africa ? Certainly this publication should realise , the flag
was changed 29 years ago. C’mon guys !!
Wrong flag. Facepalm :#
Yup, wrong flag!
That’s an Old Apartheid regime flag, seriously!!?!? I this day and age, your ignorance cannot be an excuse for that! Disgusting!
Shameless copying of: racingnews365.com/snippets-willi… – but if you have to resort to lifting then at least get my country‘s flag and not run the old apartheid flag!!!!!
Hi Dieter, you are most respected on this website, by the readers and also by myself. Sincere apologies for the flag error, this was not noticed when my copy was submitted for publish. The website published the article, adding in an image from an old history TJ13 article from 2014 without noticing the issue. We have a limited pool of media to use. FYI the article in question is below.
https://thejudge13.com/2014/03/01/on-this-day-in-f1-1st-march/
I’m sorry you feel that I lifted your piece from 365. With all due respect I think your information from 365 was used but also very much expanded on with some opinion too. Of course, I should’ve referenced your source article and I’ve amended that omission in my article, along with changing the image error.
Please accept my apologies.
All the best
TJ13
Old track too
To Mr scheckter why are you answering questions that you are not at liberty to answer
etep aside and let the person that can answer these questions Please man
Apologies for the flag error, please see my reply to Dieter above