‘Rwanda has not beaten us’ – Gayton McKenzie on SA hosting F1 Grand Prix

F1 on Tuesday confirmed that the Formula 1 African Grand Prix, presented by Visit Rwanda, will debut in the early 2030s. South Africa may still have good news: it could host a Formula 1 (F1) Grand Prix, even though Rwanda was selected to host one. F1 on Tuesday confirmed that the Formula 1 African Grand Prix, presented by Visit Rwanda, will debut in the early 2030s once a new FIA Grade 1 circuit in Bugesera, about 40km south of Kigali, is completed. Africa The agreement marks F1’s first race on African soil since the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami and will see the championship compete on every inhabited continent. South Africa had been pushing to host a Grand Prix, with Cabinet approving the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture’s request to submit a bid to host a race at Kyalami. While South African fans were disappointed, Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie said the country has “not been beaten by Rwanda”. South Africa not beaten McKenzie dismissed claims that South Africa lost out to Rwanda in the race to host Formula One, insisting the country’s bid remains firmly on track and that Africa should celebrate adding another race to the global calendar. Speaking passionately about South Africa’s Formula One ambitions, McKenzie congratulated Rwanda on securing a slot on the F1 calendar and rejected suggestions that the two countries were locked in a winner-takes-all contest. “I want to congratulate Rwanda. They have done the work, they applied years ago, and they deserve this moment,” McKenzie said. F1 in SA? McKenzie said South Africa is still on track to host the F1 Grand Prix in 2028 or 2029. The minister said criticism suggesting Rwanda had “beaten” South Africa reflected a misunderstanding of how Formula One host bids work. “People keep saying South Africa was beaten. Let me be clear: this is not a raffle,” he said. “Rwanda has not beaten us. Rwanda does not feature on our papers. We are still pursuing our own target, and we remain on track.” Backing McKenzie stressed that South Africa entered the process much later and was working towards securing a race in the coming years. “They started this journey long before I became minister. They’ve done what they needed to do, and we’re happy for them. Our focus is on our bid and the work that still needs to be done.” The minister revealed that South Africa has already secured backing from several major corporate partners, including MTN, Discovery and Canal+, while another major financial institution is expected to be announced soon. “We’ve spoken to the most important people, the sponsors,” he said. “We’ve got MTN, Discovery, Canal+, and a major bank that will be announced shortly. We are building a serious bid.” Default mindset McKenzie also slammed what he called a “defeatist mindset” among some South Africans who believe the continent should only host a single Formula One race. “The Middle East has four Formula One races. The United States has three. Europe has nine. Yet some people think Africa, with 54 countries, must only have one. What type of thinking is that?” he asked. “If Italy can have two Formula One races, why should an entire continent settle for one?” Rather than viewing Rwanda’s success as a setback, McKenzie argued it strengthens Africa’s standing in world motorsport and could improve the continent’s chances of attracting even more global sporting events. “We’ve won as a continent,” he said. “My congratulations to Rwanda are completely sincere.” Engaging F1 The minister said the government continues to engage key stakeholders to strengthen South Africa’s bid, revealing that President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to travel to Abu Dhabi in December to hold further discussions linked to the country’s Formula One ambitions. “We are hard at work every day. This morning, we were finalising another major announcement for our bid,” McKenzie said. “People who understand Formula One know exactly how these processes work. We are not worried. We are focused.” McKenzie’s comments come amid growing excitement around the prospect of Formula One returning to African soil for the first time in decades, with both Rwanda and South Africa pushing high-profile bids that could mark a new era for motorsport on the continent.