F1 Signs 10-year Deal with Rwanda for African Grand Prix

Rwanda is set to host the first Formula One motor racing sport in the early 2030s, after signing a ten-year deal.

The event, which is to be called the African Grand Prix, will be held on a new, purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, which is located twenty-five miles south of the capital Kigali.

Confirming the development in a statement, the F1 management said the project comes after years of collaboration with the best partner to ensure the right foundations are in place to deliver a successful, sustainable and world-class grand prix for generations to come.

F1 hopes the race will provide an opportunity for the sport to expand its profile in Africa. Although it has not yet been established where the race may best fit into the schedule during the year.

F1 president Stefano Domenicali said the new contract was "a landmark moment for F1", which would mean the sport was racing "on every inhabited continent".

In his response, Rwanda President Paul Kagame said the country was proud to host the Formula 1 African Grand Prix, and to share this moment with more than 100 million fans across Africa.

"For more than three decades, the world's premier motorsport championship has raced without this continent, and that changes with this agreement", Kagame noted.

He said "the circuit in Bugesera, alongside the new international airport, will bring jobs, skills, tourism and new business to our country and our region for decades to come, because our aim was never a single race weekend, but a lasting benefit for our people."