Is the Rwanda race an F1 ruse? – The FIA held its annually gala over the weekend in one of their more unusual country members in Rwanda. The Formula One prizes were handed out with Max Verstappen having claimed his fourth consecutive drivers’ title and McLaren their first constructors’ championship since 1988.

Officially the Republic of Rwanda is a land locked country in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa where the Africa great lakes region and the Southwest plains converge. Much of the country is at altitude hence the French description, “the land of a thousand hills.”

The capital of the country is Kigali with a population of just over a million it is the largest city in the West African state. Rwanda is de facto a one party state ruled by the Rwandan Patriotic Front and its leader is Paul Kagame who was installed following the end of the civil war in 1994.

 

 

 

Rwanda president announces bid

This week we learned the West African country is preparing a bid to host a Formula One race. Whilst somewhat from left field, the sport has been considering a return to Africa for some time. It was thought the South African GP would return to Kyalami, but as negotiations reached an advanced stage last year, the SA government withdrew from the process due to greed amongst the promoters.

Now it appears that it is Rwanda which is F1’s hope of racing in Africa, with ex-F1 driver Alex Wurst and his company announced as the circuit designers. Paul Kagame said at the weekend: “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 (Formula One chief executive) Stefano (Domenicali) and the entire team at F1, for the good progress in our discussions so far. I assure you that we are approaching this opportunity with the seriousness and commitment which it deserves. Together we will build something we can all be proud of.”

Unlike other big F1 new circuit announcements, this one had more of an air of optimism rather than concrete plans and timescales, with some F1 writers expressing skepticism in their publications. For example the BBC wrote: “IF a deal can be agreed, the race would be held on a new track planned close to the new Bugesera airport.”

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Pace of new F1 circuits slows

With the F1 schedule now standing at its maximum agreed 24 races there’s no room for another new race until at least 2027 when Zandvoort leaves the calendar. New purpose built circuits as opposed to street races take years from conception to hosting an F1 race and this is where the Rwanda bid is currently at.

Alex Wurst is working on a permanent new circuit in Saudi Arabia which will replace the temporary use each year along the Corniche frontage. Yet this spectacular new track in Qiddiya with its 110 metre high turn called ‘the blade’ will not be ready until 2029 and may slip a year into the next decade.

Since the turn of the millennium, F1 has seen 17 new venues arrive as hosts and there has been a return of former Grand Prix venues such as Zandvoort in the Netherlands and Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City. The pace of circuits coming and going averages over that time at 0.8 a season, but this is slowing. Las Vegas was the last new venue which arrived in 2023 and Madrid is set to be the next one some three years later.

The subject of new F1 tracks was the topic of conversation of veteran F1 journalist Jams Allen’s podcast this week and it was a surprising venue the panelists agreed would likely be next on the calendar. Bent Hunt remarked he doesn’t believe there will be a new circuit announced in 2025.

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Thailand may be the first

“I think it’s still going to take a little bit of shaking out for Thailand, Rwanda, where the FIA Gala is at the moment, is obviously an option as well.

“There’s been talk about South Africa, I just think there are too many hoops for those circuits to go through at the moment. And what Liberty are finding with Formula 1 being popular is that all of a sudden these circuits, which are pleading poverty, are finding millions down the back of the sofa and managing to rustle up deals.”

John Noble added his two penneth: “I think Thailand’s probably the furthest down the road to get announced, it’ll take place first. But I think Rwanda’s an interesting project, so there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes there than has been released to the public.

“So, that one will bubble away and they may announce it, but maybe not until 2030 or somewhere beyond that. But I think that’s the expansion they need to look at is new markets and Africa makes complete sense.”

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Rwanda hopes remain high

Whilst maybe not a ruse, the Rwanda prospect is very remote at present, but with Liberty Media wishing to maintain momentum with its shareholders they have to repeatedly demonstrate an ever increasing interest in F1. The FIA congress and gala in Rwanda was a convenient opportunity.

As Noble said, Thailand would appear the most likely to appear first given MotoGP all ready race there at the Chang International Circuit. F1 however would hurtle around the streets of Bangkok and the Thai Prime minister when visiting Imola earlier in the year posted on Facebook: “In line with the Thai government’s intention to bring F1 racing to Thailand in the near future.”

Hanoi in Vietnam signed of a contract with F1 for street race through the streets of its capital Hanoi, and despite much of the preparations having been completed, there’s no sign of an F1 race in the country any time soon. The inaugural event was cancelled during the Covid pandemic, but was not reinstated the following season following political turmoil in the country’s leadership.

British born Thai F1 driver, Alex Albon was asked earlier this year where he would love to see F1 race.  “I’m going to be very biased,” said the Williams driver. “I would love to race in Thailand and there are talks about a Thai GP happening. So definitely fingers crossed for that in the future.”

Rwanda hosting the FIA this week was a convenient backdrop to impress on those watching that Formula One is relentlessly continuing its advance around the world. Whether there will ever be a race in the “land of a 1000 hills” is anyone’s guess.

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End of the road for Perez as Red Bull announce his successor

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