Formula One (F1) seasons take place over the course of a few months and across every continent besides Antarctica and Africa. For logistical reasons and several others, Antarctica is not an option. So, why isn’t there a race in Africa? At some point, there was one. The last F1 race that happened in Africa was in South Africa at the Kyalami Circuit in 1993. The South African Grand Prix was held there from 1967 until 1993. High costs were the reason it ended and is one of the reasons they’ve struggled to return. Now, F1 has been in discussions to bring back a Grand Prix to the continent, specifically Rwanda.
The general understanding that sports must expand and begin to target a large audience in Africa isn’t just an F1 thing. The NBA has been working in Africa for a few years. In fact, Rwanda is currently the host of the Basketball Africa League. The NFL has been heavily recruiting in Africa and has had camps for a few years as well. So now, with Rwanda being considered for a Grand Prix, it feels like a natural progression of the push to drive more sports and entertainment to Africa as well as seek out talent.
For context, F1 has only had one Black driver since its inception, Lewis Hamilton. The bar for entry into motorsports is much higher than for other forms of sports. If a kid wants to play basketball, he/she really only needs a pair of sneakers and a basketball, and there are parks everywhere with courts. Most middle schools and high schools have a team. It’s a pretty accessible sport financially. Football is about the same way. Although the equipment may cost a bit, by the time a kid is on a team, all that’s paid for. Motorsports is a bit different. Parents would have to be able to afford for a kid to be involved in go-karting, which is how kids first get introduced to racing. This requires purchasing a go-kart and traveling to races. Already, Black and Brown kids for the most part may be priced out because of this.
Hopefully, an F1 race comes into fruition. It will breathe new life into an already popular F1 as well as do wonders for how people view the continent. When it comes to how Rwanda as a country and Africa as a continent will compete on a global scale, entertainment and sports will play an important role. With new investments to build hotels and arenas, global investors know this as well.