Rwanda signs 10-year deal to host F1 African GP — SkimNews
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- Rwanda signed a 10-year deal to host the Formula 1 African Grand Prix from the early 2030s, with races set for a new purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, 40 kilometres south of Kigali
- President Paul Kagame announced the agreement at a Kigali ceremony on 13 October 2026, declaring 'Today belongs to Africa' more than three decades after the 1993 South African Grand Prix
- Lewis Hamilton had publicly lobbied for years to bring F1 back to Africa, calling it 'the most beautiful continent' and praising Stefano Domenicali's repeated trips to the continent
- Amnesty International's Felix Jakens labelled the deal a 'sportswashing prize,' citing Rwanda's record of arbitrary detention, torture and repression, plus its alleged role arming M23 in eastern DR Congo
- Visit Rwanda is already a £20m-per-year front-of-shirt sponsor for Aston Villa, while Arsenal ended their eight-year Rwanda deal last season after the Gay Gooners and other supporters raised concerns since 2021
- FIA president Mohamed Ben Sulayem called it 'an historic moment for the sport,' saying the deal would create new opportunities for motorsport on the continent
Why it matters: The deal completes F1's coverage of every inhabited continent and ends a 30-plus-year African absence, but the 'Visit Rwanda' branding lands as Amnesty's sportswashing criticism was already costing partners — Arsenal terminated their eight-year deal after supporter pressure, while PSG extended through 2028. With DR Congo accusing Rwanda of fuelling M23 violence, F1 is signing a decade-long partnership into an escalating human rights controversy.
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