South Africa is accelerating efforts to bring Formula One back to the country with plans to meet the organisers by year-end to discuss hosting a race.
Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille confirmed, at a press conference last week, that she and Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie will attend the meeting, which will likely be in December, potentially in Abu Dhabi.
McKenzie's department is leading the charge to secure the event while the tourism department plans to use the opportunity to promote South Africa as a global destination, De Lille said.
The tourism department, which has a budget for infrastructure and maintenance, could also assist with building or upgrading the infrastructure required for the event, she added. A decision has not yet been made on the location of the potential race in South Africa.
“The franchise holders want to consult with government – it’s not just a private-sector issue. Minister McKenzie and I will then take feedback to Cabinet as it’s their decision to determine what is required,” De Lille said.
In September, McKenzie posted on social media that he met with Stefano Domenicali, CEO of the Formula One Group, and they were “one step closer” to securing the race for South Africa. McKenzie has also met with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem to discuss additional support for the country’s bid.
To date, only two African countries – Morocco and South Africa – have hosted a Formula One race. South Africa hosted the race in 1993. Rwanda is also vying to host a race. “Rwanda is a bit ahead of us and is about to sign with Formula One,” De Lille said.
While South Africa currently lacks a qualifying track, Kyalami Circuit holds an FIA Grade 2 certification. Recently, Johannesburg hosted Formula One driver David Coulthard and his Oracle Red Bull Racing RB7 car during the Red Bull Showrun event, which drew a crowd of 20 000 people.
Formula One is a fast-growing sport, drawing thousands of fans over race weekends. Silverstone in the UK drew a record 480 000 fans over its race weekend in 2023 while 220 000 fans attended the two days in Japan. However, hosting a race comes with significant costs: race fees range from US$15 million to US$50 million, according to the Michigan Journal of Economics.
