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Formula 1 will return to Africa in the early 2030s after Rwanda agreed to a 10-year deal to host an African Grand Prix, the championship announced.
The race will be the first in Africa since South Africa held its last Grand Prix in 1993. Only two African countries have hosted a World Championship race: Morocco, once in 1958, and South Africa, 23 times.
"It will be remembered as one of the most significant days in the history of Formula 1," Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame said the country sees the race as part of a broader effort to use sport for development, and he cast it as a continental project rather than a national one.
"For decades, African athletes have been a pillar of the global sports economy, adding significant commercial value to top leagues, with the continent receiving almost nothing in return," Kagame said. "Partnerships like the one we are building help break this cycle."
Rwanda has been building its profile as a sports destination. Kigali hosted the FIA Awards in 2024 and the UCI Cycling World Championships in 2025, the first time the cycling event was held in Africa.
Formula 1 events typically generate more than $130 million in annual economic impact for host nations, based on data from previous races.
Jean-Guy Afrika, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board, said the "African Grand Prix" name was chosen to make it easier to bring in partners across the continent. He said Rwanda was not the only bidder and expects more African races to follow.
"We want to make it the moment when the sport came back to Africa and then never left," Afrika said.
The circuit will be built in Bugesera, close to where Kigali’s new international airport is due to open in early 2028. Designers Carsten Tilke of Tilke Engineering and former F1 driver Alex Wurz of Wurz Designs chose the site over street circuit options because of its natural terrain of two hills above a lake.
The 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) anti-clockwise track is planned to have 17 corners and 197 meters (646 feet) of elevation change per lap, along with cambered turns and banking.
The full layout has not been released.
"It really is a roller coaster track," Tilke said, adding that spectators will sit close to the action and that designers built in overtaking points and room for different race strategies.
The complex will include paddock buildings reflecting Rwandan architecture and a multipurpose venue for concerts and other events. Plans also call for a karting facility, a driving experience center and off-road courses.
At about 1,500 meters (4,900 feet) above sea level, Kigali would be one of the highest circuits on the calendar, behind Mexico City at 2,200 meters. Wurz noted that the thinner air reduces aerodynamic grip, forcing designers to offset the loss with higher-downforce wing configurations.
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