South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Art and Culture has stated Formula 1 will “definitely” return to the country in the near future.
F1 hasn’t visited South Africa since the 1993 season at the well-renowned Kyalami circuit.
Three decades later, F1 is expanding, exploring new territories in the USA, the Middle East and Asia, with Africa still untouched.
Talks of a GP in Rwanda have gathered pace in 2024, but South African Minister Gayton McKenzie is determined to see F1 return to his country.
“I can tell you this, F1 is definitely coming [to South Africa],” South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Art and Culture told LalliesF1.
“F1 told us they’re keen to come, they told us what they’ll need to come, and we are going to give them what they need to come.
“There’s still a big fight at the moment. Is it Cape Town, or is it Joburg? That decision has not been taken.”
Domenicali is seeking an African GP
Talks of a return to South Africa for F1 have gathered pace in recent years.
In 2022, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said “There are areas of the world that wants to have Formula 1, and I think that one area that we want to develop is the African area.
“We are a world championship, and that’s an area where we are not there.”
However, despite talks heating up regarding a South African GP and Domenicali holding talks with Kyalami officials in 2023, a deal to bring F1 back to the country has yet to materialise.
In 2024, Rwanda has emerged as a front-runner to bring F1 to the African continent with Domenicali slated to hold talks with event organisers.
Lewis Hamilton: South Africa is ‘ready’ to host F1
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton has long put pressure upon F1 to race in Africa and amid Rwanda emerging as a potential suitor in August, the seven-time World Champion made his feelings clear.
“We can’t be adding races in other locations and continue to ignore Africa which the rest of the world takes from, no one gives anything to Africa,” Hamilton told select media including Motorsport Week at Zandvoort.
“There’s a huge amount of work there that needs to be done. I think a lot of the world that haven’t been there don’t realise how beautiful the place is and how vast it is.
“I think having a Grand Prix there would really be able to highlight how great the place is and bring in tourism and all sorts of things so why are we not on that continent?”
In what would be music to McKenzie’s ears, Hamilton implied Kyalami’s suitability to host a GP, saying “the current excuse is maybe there’s not a track that is ready, but there is at least one track that’s ready.”
READ MORE: Rwanda to hold September talks over F1 GP bid – Domenicali
