Rwanda appears to be in a heated race to host the Formula 1 Grand Prix, 30 years after it was last held on African soil.
- Rwanda and South Africa are competing to host the Formula 1 Grand Prix after 30 years in Africa.
- Rwanda is constructing a track designed by former F1 driver Alexander Wurz, 25km from the capital city Kigali.
- The project aims to boost tourism and sports in Rwanda, with estimated costs of $270 million.
Back in December, 2024, President Paul Kagame revealed Rwanda’s intention to host a Formula One race.
“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 [F1 president] Stefano Domenicali and the entire team at F1 for the good progress in our discussions so far,” he said at the time.
Recent reports indicate that Rwanda has invested in constructing a track, set to be designed by former Benetton driver Alexander Wurz.
The country known as the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills’ is looking to utilize its elevated landscape in building a race track, approximately 25km from its capital city of Kigali.
The track which must meet regulatory standards is set to have significant elevation changes and difficult turns, which Verstappen termed as “amazing” when he visited Rwanda for the FIA Awards last month.
According to some estimates, the project would set Rwanda back $270 million (£218 million).
However, the Rwanda Development Board, rationalized the idea, noting that it would assist in strengthening the country’s tourist industry, which produced over $620 million (£501 million) in 2023.
“From job creation to infrastructure upgrades, these events touch lives across the country,” Rwanda’s chief tourism officer Irene Murerwa explained.
“The benefits trickle down to every Rwandan. Hosting F1 would be another step in our journey to becoming a world-class destination.”
The application from Rwanda is a component of a broader plan to establish the nation as a major international sports destination.
In recent years Rwanda has played host to the NBA Africa games, cementing itself as a basketball mecca in the continent of Africa.
The country has also played sponsor to one of the world’s largest football clubs; Arsenal, with its Visit Rwanda campaign.
“It’s about Rwanda’s growth, people, and place on the world stage,” said Christian Gakwaya, president of the Rwanda Automobile Club, the organization in charge of motorsport activities in the country.
Rwanda’s shaky image
Despite Rwanda’s initiative to be recognized as a major sports and tourism hub, geo-political tensions in the East African region have raised eyebrows, prompting critics to label Rwanda’s efforts as sportswashing.
On Sunday, M23 rebels claimed they had captured Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo, following a swift advance that forced thousands to flee and raised fears of a broader regional conflict.
This led to an escalation of tension between the DRC and Rwanda, as the DRC alleges that the M23 rebels are sponsored by Rwanda.
A day later, two United Nations sources indicated that troops from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) had engaged in gunfire near their shared border in the eastern city of Goma.
Additionally, Rwanda’s government has been accused of having “an abysmal track record” on human rights – a strategy labeled by critics as ‘sportswashing,’ as seen in a report by the BBC.
“Rwanda has major flaws with due process which violate its own internal laws or international standards,” said Lewis Mudge, the Central Africa director at Human Rights Watch, a campaign group that investigates and reports on cases of abuse around the globe.
“Increasingly we’re seeing the space for freedom of expression, for some degree of political autonomy, is actually shrinking.”
Rwanda has however denied such allegations, and even the president of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) Ben Sulayem spoke in defence of Rwanda, stating: When people cannot get what they want they always blame it on sportswashing.
I honestly don’t care about what they say. I believe that what we are doing is right. We have a general assembly. They approve everything.”
