F1 Teases Huge Expansion To New Continent With Imminent Meeting

F1 hints at potentially adding Rwanda as a future Grand Prix host in their effort to expand into new continents.

Nov 18, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; BWT Alpine F1 driver Pierre Gasly of France (10) drives during the Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports / Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

Formula 1 is on the brink of expanding its horizons to a new continent, with Rwanda emerging as a frontrunner to host a future Grand Prix.

The aspirations for a Rwandan Grand Prix are grounded in well-advanced discussions between F1 executives and representatives from the country, slated for next month.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has spoken about the potential expansion during an interview with Motorsport:

“They are serious. They have presented a good plan and actually we have a meeting with them at the end of September. It will be on a permanent track.”

The move is part of Formula 1's broader strategy to expand its calendar into new regions and continents, like Africa, which has not seen an F1 race since the South African Grand Prix in 1993. The successful expansion in the U.S.—marked by the addition of races in Miami and Las Vegas—illustrates the potential of new markets. Domenicali continued:

“We want to go to Africa, but we need to have the right investment, and the right strategic plan.

“We need to have the right moment, and we need to make sure that also in that country, in that region, in that continent, there is the right welcoming, because, of course, they have other priorities. We need to be always very careful in making the right choices.”

The Rwanda Development Board is proactively engaging with F1, demonstrated by their visit to the Monaco Grand Prix and their hosting of the FIA Annual General Assembly and Prize Giving Ceremony in Kigali this December.

“Up until 2020 we were in a situation where the number of places that wanted to host F1 were not so numerous.

“Therefore we were not able to apply what I would say was a constructive pressure to grow what we can offer to our customers and to our fans.

“Now, we are on the other side. We have so many places around the world that want to host F1 that it allows us to make sure that we are working together with all of them to grow the experience.

“With 24 races, I see that there's a number that will be stable, and we can really tune the ones that we are discussing to see what will be the future in the middle term.

“I don't see big changes coming in the short term, but in the next couple of months we need to discuss what will be '26, '27 and '28. We have different options but we are in a good place.”