- F1 returns to Africa: Ramaphosa backs Kyalami’s push for a grand prix slot.
- Kyalami’s Grade 1 upgrade clears the path, but Rwanda and Morocco are closing in.
- Hamilton has spent seven years fighting for an African Grand Prix.
South Africa’s bid to bring Formula 1 back to the African continent has taken a significant step forward.
President Cyril Ramaphosa will attend a grand prix later this season as part of the country’s formal campaign to host a race at Kyalami Circuit.
The Johannesburg-area track last held an F1 race in 1993 and is currently undergoing upgrades to meet modern standards.
Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie confirmed the presidential visit and described it as a working trip rather than a ceremonial one. The government has also secured a hosting-fee guarantee of R2.1 billion.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has publicly backed the bid and called Africa’s absence from the F1 calendar a long-standing injustice.
Ramaphosa’s visit signals political commitment
McKenzie confirmed that President Ramaphosa has agreed to accompany him to a grand prix this year.
The visit marks the most prominent act of political support the bid has received. McKenzie told African Business, as reported by RacingNews365: “This is a working visit, not a social one.”
He added: “The President’s visit will allow us to observe, engage and strengthen our case.” McKenzie has not said which race Ramaphosa will attend, stating that details will follow “in due course, in coordination with the Presidency.”
The minister also laid out the work still ahead. He noted:
“There are criteria that any country must meet to host a grand prix, commercial, logistical, infrastructural and safety requirements, and we are working methodically to meet each of them.”
The R2.1 billion hosting-fee guarantee, according to reports, gives the bid financial weight alongside its political ambition.
Kyalami’s road to Grade 1 certification
The Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit sits in Midrand, north of Johannesburg, and serves as the physical foundation of South Africa’s F1 campaign.
The FIA approved an upgrade plan for the circuit in June 2025. Once the work is finished, Kyalami will become the only FIA Grade 1-certified track on the African continent.
Grade 1 status is a requirement for hosting F1 world championship events. UK-based firm Apex Circuit Design, which also worked on the Miami F1 street circuit, is leading the project.
Apex founder Clive Bowen described it to The Race as “a light-touch upgrade in engineering terms, but one that enhances the already excellent circuit standards to meet modern Grade 1 requirements.”
The upgrades cover run-off areas, barrier systems, debris fencing, kerbs and drainage. They do not change Kyalami’s 4.52 km layout. The circuit has three years to complete the required work.
Circuit owner Toby Venter, who bought Kyalami in 2014 and spent R100 million on an earlier renovation, welcomed the FIA decision.
“This is a defining moment for South African motorsport,” he said. “When we acquired Kyalami in 2014, we made a commitment to restore it, not just as a world-class venue, but as a beacon for motorsport across the African continent.”
Competition from Rwanda and Morocco, and F1’s cautious stance
South Africa faces competition from other African nations. Rwanda announced its F1 bid in December 2024, with plans for a new circuit near Bugesera airport, south of Kigali.
That proposal has drawn scrutiny due to regional political tensions in the area. Morocco has also entered the contest with a reported $1.2 billion project planned near Tangier.
Cape Town has put forward its own proposals within South Africa, meaning Kyalami must also compete for preference on the domestic front.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has acknowledged the sport’s interest in Africa but has been careful to manage expectations. He said last year:
“We cannot go to a new place without staying for a long time. We are progressing our discussion with, I would say, three places in Africa. Realistically speaking, I don’t think we’re going to have an outcome in the very short term.”
The 2027 and 2028 F1 calendars already carry 24 rounds each. Any future slot will also attract bids from other interested countries. The competition for calendar space is significant, and South Africa’s window is narrow.
Hamilton’s personal fight for a race in Africa
Hamilton has made no secret of his desire to race on African soil before he retires. Speaking ahead of the 2026 Australian Grand Prix, he said:
“For the past six years, maybe seven, I’ve been fighting in the background to get a Grand Prix sitting with stakeholders and asking the question, ‘Why are we not in Africa?’”
Hamilton has described himself as “half African” and has ties to Togo and Benin. He has spoken warmly about several potential host nations.
“I loved Kenya, I don’t think we’re going to have a grand prix in Kenya, but Rwanda particularly was spectacular. South Africa is stunning,” he said.
He also acknowledged the pressure of time:
“They’re setting certain dates; I’m like, ‘Damn, I could be running out of time,’ so I’m going to be here for a while until that happens.”
Africa remains the only inhabited continent that has never had a permanent place on the F1 calendar. McKenzie captured what that absence has meant for a generation of fans.
“An entire generation of young African motorsport enthusiasts has never seen a Formula 1 race in their own backyard,” he said. “We intend to change that.”
Motorsport commentator Wesleigh Orr argued that a race on African soil would do more than entertain.
“The moment it returns to Africa, it becomes more real,” he said. “It becomes visible, tangible and believable for young drivers.”
South Africa’s bid now carries presidential support, a funded hosting guarantee, a credible infrastructure plan and the backing of the sport’s most decorated driver.
Whether that proves enough, and whether it arrives in time, remains to be seen.
