Lewis Hamilton supports Rwandan Grand Prix ahead of F1 talks

Lewis Hamilton has backed talks planned next month between Rwanda and Formula 1 as the sport looks to return to Africa for the first time in over 30 years.

F1 has not staged a race in Africa since 1993, which was the last iteration of the South African Grand Prix at the Kyalami Circuit on the outskirts of Johannesburg.

Plans to return to South Africa recently fell through but F1 boss Stefano Domenicali revealed last week that Rwanda has “serious” plans to host a grand prix.

Hamilton, who spent F1’s summer break in Morocco, Senegal, Benin, Mozambique and Madagascar, said: “The time is 100 per cent right (to stage a race in Africa). We can’t be adding races in other locations and continue to ignore Africa, which the rest of the world just takes from. No one gives anything to Africa.

“There’s a huge amount of work that needs to be done there. But a lot of the world, that haven’t been, don’t realise how beautiful the place is and having a grand prix there will really be able to highlight that and bring in tourism.

“Why are we not on that continent? The current excuse is that maybe there’s not a track that’s ready, but there is at least one track (Kyalami) that’s ready.

“In the short term, we should just have that as part of the calendar and then work on building something. That will be a conversation I’ll have with Stefano.

“Rwanda is one of my favourite places I’ve been to. I’ve been doing a lot of work in the background on it. I’ve spoken to people in Rwanda, I’ve spoken to people in South Africa . Rwanda is a longer project, but it’s amazing that they’re so keen to get a part of it.”

Rwandan executives insist the East African country is “ready” to host a Formula One grand prix.

“It is time for Africa to be part of the F1 calendar,” said Automobile Club of Rwanda president Christian Gakwaya. “We are ready to host an F1 race.

“Rwanda represents an ideal opportunity for the return of Formula One to Africa. We are serious about submitting our candidacy.

“Our interest in Formula One is in line with the national strategy to use sport as a lever for economic transformation.

“For motorsports in Rwanda, hosting F1 is an important part of a broader strategy that includes infrastructure development, capacity building [social and economic development] and schools, and the drive to host more international events and championships.”

Rwanda is set to showcase itself to the FIA – F1’s governing body – when the capital Kigali hosts this year’s FIA awards ceremony in December. Members of the Rwanda development board also met the FIA at the Monaco Grand Prix earlier this year.

The East African country has entered the domain of sports sponsorship in recent years, entering into partnerships with Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.

Thailand and South Korea are other countries with a firm interest in hosting an F1 race in the future. Domenicali added that he is planning a visit to the Thai capital of Bangkok after next month’s race in Singapore.