F1 could soon be returning to the African continent. The South African government is close to deciding the promoter for their bid to host an F1 race in the country. The decision, they say, now rests with the Formula One management.
Formula 1 hosts races on five of the seven continents, with Africa being the only inhabited one currently without a Grand Prix. The last race in Africa was at the Kyalami Circuit in South Africa, in 1993.
Amid demand to bring back a race on the African continent, South Africa is preparing a strong bid. Their Minister of Sports, Gayton McKenzie, has even claimed that bringing F1 to the country is one of his top priorities.
The government set up the Formula 1 Bid Steering Committee in December 2024. Reportedly, three main promoters bid, including Cape Town, Kyalami, and a proposed new circuit near Durbanville. Kyalami is seen as the favorite, with an official announcement from the committee expected on July 1.
Recently, the sports minister told radio station 5fm that he is meeting with the F1 management during the Austrian GP.
“We are going to meet them [FOM] again to hand in our bid officially in Austria,” he said. [via PlanetF1]
“The week after that, on July 1, we will announce our winning promoter. After that, it is all in the hands of Formula 1. We will have a circuit, we will have a promoter, and we will have the biggest motorsport community in Africa.” he also told eNCA.
The FIA approved the Kyalami Circuit’s plans of turning the circuit into a Grade 1 circuit, earlier this month. This has sparked further rumors suggesting that the Johannesburg-based track may well return to the F1 calendar.
South African sports minister had previously claimed that F1 is “definitely” returning to the country in 2027
South Africa’s sports minister, Gayton McKenzie, claimed in February that F1 is “definitely coming” to the country in 2027. This was just months after he had already established plans to organize a bidding system.
“The Grand Prix is definitely coming in 2027, no doubt about that,” said McKenzie. [via eNCA]
“Whether it is Cape Town or Johannesburg, we do not care as long as the Grand Prix is coming to South Africa,” he added.
If F1 returns to South Africa in 2027, it would end a 34-year wait. The last F1 event in Africa was the inaugural race of the 1993 season. To put this in context, Alain Prost won the race in 1993, with Ayrton Senna and Mark Blundell rounding off the podium places.
If the Kyalami bid is accepted, an iconic F1 track could be revived. But a Cape Town race on the streets of South Africa’s legislative capital is also not impossible.
