Rwanda to host F1 race from early 2030s in 10-year deal

KIGALI, Oct 13 : Africa will return to the Formula One calendar for the first time this century with Rwanda agreeing a 10-year deal to host a race from the early 2030s, the sport announced on Tuesday.

Formula One, which last raced on the continent in 1993 at South Africa's Kyalami circuit to the north of Johannesburg, has long sought a return.

"Today is a landmark moment for Formula One," said Chief Executive Stefano Domenicali at a press conference in the capital Kigali with Rwandan President Paul Kagame and International Automobile Federation (FIA) head Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

"With Rwanda joining the calendar from the next decade, our sport will race in every inhabited continent, bringing the world championship closer than ever to fans around the globe.

"Africa has always been part of Formula One's future, and from the beginning we were determined to return in the right way, with the right partner, a long-term commitment and a clear vision for creating meaningful impact."

Kagame announced his landlocked East African country's bid two years ago, with plans for a purpose-built Grade One track near a new international airport under construction at Bugesera some 40km (25 miles) south of Kigali. The circuit is expected to be completed early in the next decade. 

Rwanda will become the third African country to host a round of the championship that started in 1950, with Morocco putting on a race outside Casablanca in 1958.

Domenicali said the deal with Rwanda was about much more than hosting a grand prix, talking up economic and social benefits through tourism and investment.

"For our fans this is an especially exciting moment," he added. "Africa is home to more than 100 million Formula One fans and that number continues to grow rapidly."     

(Writing by Alan Baldwin in London and George Obulutsa;Editing by Alexander Winning and Christian Radnedge)