F1 | South Africa pushes for world championship in Johannesburg or Cape Town
As of today, the path leading to the return of the Kyalami circuit to the calendar does not seem feasible
F1 GP South Africa – According to the South African Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, Formula 1 will return to South Africa in the near future. This statement follows Lewis Hamilton's call for the competition to return to the African continent, the only continent not to host a race since 1993.
McKenzie confirmed that F1’s return to Africa is well underway: “I can say that Formula 1 will definitely be back in South Africa. They’ve told us what it takes to run a race and we’ll provide that.” In an interview with motorsport personality LalliesF1, McKenzie confirmed that discussions with Liberty Media bosses, specifically Stefano Domenicali, are already underway.
South Africa still interested in returning to F1
The last Grand Prix in Africa was in 1993, when Alain Prost won at Kyalami. Since then, Formula 1 has raced on every continent except Africa and Antarctica. Although Formula E will race in Cape Town in 2023, it remains to be decided whether the next event will be held there, using some of the FIA’s all-electric series’ facilities, or in Johannesburg. McKenzie said: “There’s still a big debate going on. Will it be Cape Town or Johannesburg? The decision hasn’t been made yet.”
Lewis Hamilton’s support has been instrumental in bringing attention back to the African continent. Earlier this year, the British driver expressed his desire to see F1 return to Africa, saying: “We can’t keep adding races to other locations and ignore Africa, which is being exploited for nothing.” With growing interest from local authorities and the international public, the return of Formula 1 to South Africa now looks set to be a certainty, although details of which city will host the event remain to be worked out.
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