Arabic version: رواندا توقّع اتفاقاً لعشر سنوات لاستضافة جائزة كبرى للفورمولا 1

According to BBC News, Rwanda has signed a 10-year agreement to host an African Grand Prix from the early 2030s, returning Formula 1 to the continent after an absence of nearly 40 years. Formula 1 president Stefano Domenicali called the deal a “landmark” achievement at its launch in Kigali, alongside Rwandan President Paul Kagame and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

The planned circuit will be built in Bugesera, 25 miles south of Kigali, as part of a wider development near a new international airport that is under construction. The project is set to include entertainment, residential, hotel, spa, sports science and innovation facilities. Insiders said the greenfield development should present no difficulties in being completed by 2030.

Former Formula 1 driver Alex Wurz designed the track, which remains subject to further consultation with teams and drivers. It is envisaged to be about 6km long, with 17 corners and nearly 200m of elevation change. Wurz has aimed to use Rwanda’s undulating landscape to create a challenging layout with natural flow, drawing stylistic comparisons with Spa-Francorchamps, Suzuka and Mugello.

Rwanda succeeded in securing the race where Morocco and South Africa had not, according to the report, by assembling a single plan with financial backing and ambition. Kagame said the project could bring jobs, skills, tourism and new business, while helping showcase Rwanda and Africa globally. The decision is likely to be controversial, however. Rwanda faces a case brought by the Democratic Republic of Congo at the International Court of Justice, while Amnesty International UK’s Felix Jakens accused the country of using major sport to polish its image. Formula 1 said sport can be “a positive force for good” and pointed to its commitments on internationally recognised human rights.