Stefano Domenicali assures that Africa will soon be back on the calendar
The CEO of Formula 1 stated that Africa was a track for the years to come.
It’s a bit of a continent neglected by the world of Formula 1. Since 1950 and the creation of the sport, Africa has only hosted the race cars 23 times, between Morocco and South Africa. 2023 will not offer a 24th edition.
With Liberty Media’s willingness to increase the number of races to 30 per season and the pressures exerted by Lewis Hamilton, the continent could be part of the equation. However, Kyalami, a circuit fueling many rumors, would not be the only track as Morocco has a Grade 2 approved track. Some infrastructure work would therefore be required to obtain Grade 1 status, which is mandatory to host Formula 1 races.
When we do something new, we must ensure that it is done with the right partners and that the fundamentals are stable in order to stay [on the calendar] longer. It would be bad to go [to an African circuit] one year and have it disappear if the conditions are not correct, explains the Italian to Sky Sports.
« It is necessary to have the right financial assets, but also for the site to be ready for the weekend when we want to [organize the Grand Prix]. The only thing I can say is that after the first contact with Kyalami, other places in Africa are interested in Formula 1. It is a very clear goal. Africa will return to the calendar very soon, hopefully.
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Translate: The Kyalami Circuit (South Africa) hosted Formula 1 races between 1962 and 1993. Morocco had its only race in 1958 and has been hosting the Formula E for several years now.
