A Formula 1 race in the "land of a thousand hills"? There have been rumors about this for some time. Now Rwanda's President Kagame has made the African country's bid official.
13.12.2024, 13:56
dpa
Rwanda wants to host a Formula 1 race in the future. President Paul Kagame has confirmed that his country has applied to host a Grand Prix. Talks about hosting a race were going well and were already at an advanced stage, said Kagame on Friday at the opening of the General Assembly of the International Automobile Federation FIA in the Rwandan capital Kigali.
"I am pleased to officially announce that Rwanda is trying to bring back the thrill of racing to Africa by hosting a Formula One Grand Prix," Kagame said.
Formula 1 said goodbye to Africa in 1993
If it wins the bid, the small East African country would build a race track in the Bugesera district, around 44 kilometers from the capital Kigali. The track was designed by Alexander Wurz, a former Formula 1 driver from Austria and chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association.
The last time Formula 1 raced in Africa was in 1993, back then in South Africa. Back then, Frenchman Alain Prost won on the circuit in Kyalami, north of Johannesburg. Formula 1 Managing Director Stefano Domenicali has already stated several times that it is his "very clear goal" to reintegrate Africa into the racing calendar. However, there is no timetable.
Human rights activists are very critical of the situation in Rwanda
Rwanda is one of the smallest countries in Africa and at the same time one of the most densely populated. The economy is growing considerably and, in contrast to neighboring countries, corruption is hardly widespread - a reason for many investors, including those from Germany, to settle in Rwanda.
However, human rights activists continue to take a very critical view of the situation in the country. Kagame, who was re-elected for a further term in office in the presidential election in the summer with well over 90 percent of the vote, rules the "land of a thousand hills" with a heavy hand. Critics accuse him of persecuting political opponents and critical journalists beyond the borders of the small country.
