The wait for South Africa’s first Formula One race in over 30 years will continue to drag on after it was confirmed that no race will take place in the country in 2027.
Bringing F1 back to our shores is something the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, alongside the owner of the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, Toby Venter, have been trying to achieve for years.
Work to bring the Kyalami track up to Federation International de l’Automobile’s (FIA’s) high standards is underway, and the South African government’s backing is helping to make a push for a race to be held locally.
The process has not been without its stumbling blocks, despite the progress made since McKenzie’s first meeting with Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2024.
The latest setback in the bidding process, which The Citizen reported, is that McKenzie’s dream of hosting a Grand Prix by 2027 will have to wait.
The minister admitted that South Africa underestimated the requirements for staging a Formula One Grand Prix.
Despite this, he announced that a team of experts have been appointed to help the country prepare stronger bids for 2028 or 2029.
“Next year, definitely not, because we have underestimated what is required to host the F1 event,” McKenzie admitted.
“But F1 has held our hand. So now what we’re doing is, we’ve got the experts, and we’re putting together a bid. We give them an offer, they can’t refuse.”
Not ready yet
Work at Kyalami continues in hopes of upgrading it from an FIA Grade 2 venue to a Grade 1, which would allow the circuit to host a Grand Prix in the coming years.
While there have been discussions by the Cape Town Grand Prix South Africa (CTGPSA) to bring F1 to Cape Town, Kyalami is the favourite to host a local Grand Prix, having hosted several such races before.
As such, the circuit’s owners have engaged the services of Apex Circuit Design to prepare the track for FIA Grade 1 accreditation.
No changes to the track layout are planned or necessary to reach Grade 1 status. Instead, improvements will be made to elements like run-off areas, barrier systems, debris fencing, kerbs, and drainage.
Venter noted that Kyalami had been deemed 90% ready for an F1 race.
“As things stand, we could host Formula 1 as early as 2027 or 2028,” he said.
Once these changes are brought about, and Kyalami receives its Grade 1 accreditation, it will be the only one in South Africa with the FIA’s highest status.
According to Venter, this was the plan all along.
“This is a defining moment for South African motorsport,” he said.
“When we acquired Kyalami in 2014, we made a commitment to restore it not just as a world-class venue, but as a beacon for motorsport across the African continent.”
Morocco is the only other African nation to host a Formula One Grand Prix, while Rwanda launched its own bid to host a race by 2027.
The East African nation has since set its sights on a 2029 bid, which could see a bid rival South Africa’s own.
Several current F1 drivers have backed the idea of racing in Africa, including former World Champions Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
“We can’t be adding races in other locations and continuing to ignore Africa,” Hamilton said.
“I would like to race in Africa. We’re very excited to be on that road,” Verstappen previously told BBC Sport Africa.
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