Rwanda agrees deal to host Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2030 with Qatari backing

Agreement details and announcement schedule

Formula 1 reached an agreement with the Rwandan government to stage a Grand Prix starting in 2030, according to sources within the national administration and the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) cited by AFP on 8 October 2026. The planned event returns the championship to Africa for the first time since the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami. Although neither party has issued an official statement, a formal announcement is scheduled for next week during a press briefing in Kigali. The project receives financial backing from Qatar, while government insiders confirmed that the bid received formal approval.

Advocacy from Hamilton and Kagame

President Paul Kagame initiated the country's official bid in December 2024 during an FIA gathering in Kigali. Kagame framed the proposal as an opportunity for broader international inclusion:

It all comes down to respect, and giving everyone the chance to contribute, where they can.

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton has long campaigned for an African Grand Prix, endorsing Rwanda's bid in 2024. Speaking in Melbourne at the start of the season, Hamilton described his private lobbying efforts:

For six, maybe seven years, I've been fighting behind the scenes to get a Grand Prix up and running. I sit down with the people in charge and ask, 'Why aren't we in Africa?' I don't want to leave the sport without there being a Grand Prix there, without being able to race there, so I'm pushing for it.

Sports partnerships and domestic scrutiny

The Formula 1 agreement aligns with a broader Rwandan policy of using sports partnerships to draw tourism, attract foreign capital, and alter global perceptions. Rwanda maintains commercial football partnerships with Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, and Atletico Madrid, alongside an NBA alliance for the Basketball Africa League. In 2025, the country hosted the world road cycling championships, the first edition staged in an African nation. Critics of Kagame's administration argue that costly sports initiatives deflect attention from human rights abuses and political repression. Kagame secured a fourth presidential term last year with 99.18% of the vote. Domestically, authorities anticipate scrutiny over spending, as 25% of Rwanda's population lives below the poverty line amid economic difficulties.

South African response and continental calendar

South Africa has concurrently pursued its own bid to return to the Formula 1 calendar at Kyalami. Following reports of the Kigali deal, South African Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie addressed the development on X. McKenzie stated that Rwanda's selection would not derail South Africa's own ambitions:

Rwanda has worked on this bid longer than South Africa and deserves it. However, do not forget that a country like Italy has hosted two F1 races a year, while some react as if a continent with 55 countries could only host one. South Africa will host an F1 race, even before 2030.

McKenzie noted that a continent of 55 countries can sustain multiple events, pointing to Italy's hosting of two races annually. The South African minister maintained that his country remains positioned to secure a Grand Prix before 2030.