Rwanda lands 10-year Formula 1 deal for Grand Prix return
NXTbets Pro | Published On: October 13, 2026
Rwanda Grand Prix deal
Rwanda has signed a 10-year deal with Formula 1 to host a Grand Prix, setting up the series’ return to Africa for the first time since 1993. The agreement was announced in Kigali by President Paul Kagame, Stefano Domenicali and Mohammed Ben Sulayem. The race is expected to join the calendar in the early 2030s. Formula 1 has not yet set where the Rwanda event will fit, and the series remains limited to 24 races per year. The event will be presented by Visit Rwanda.
Formula 1 return to Africa
The return to Africa is the headline shift in the agreement. Domenicali called the agreement “a landmark moment for the sport’s return to every inhabited continent.” That line captures the scale of the move. The result is a long-horizon commitment rather than a race with an immediate date. For the sport, it restores an African presence after more than three decades away.
Bugesera circuit project
The Grand Prix will take place on a new purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, about 40 km south of Kigali and next to the under-construction Bugesera International Airport. Formula 1 said the track will be completed to FIA Grade 1 standards and will use Bugesera’s hilly landscape and elevation changes to create a fast, challenging circuit. Former driver Alex Wurz and his company will design the layout, giving the project a familiar motorsport name from the start. The race is also tied to a wider development plan led by the Rwanda Development Board. That broader effort covers sports, tourism, infrastructure and commercial development and is meant to create long-term economic, social and motorsport benefits. The effort is intended to support local talent and build a lasting legacy. President Paul Kagame said the race would bring jobs, skills, tourism and business. The event and the site around it are being framed as part of a larger development effort linked to racing and airport development.
