Motoring

South Africa gets serious about hosting Formula 1

Luis Monzon

19th December 2024

Minister Gayton McKenzie has formed a committee to prepare to bid to host Formula 1 in South Africa.
The Kyalami Race Track will require extensive, expensive upgrades before its ready for modern F1 races.
The minister says South Africa is looking to host Formula 1 in 2027, but claims it may happen as early as 2026.

The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture and its Minister Gayton McKenzie are making a serious play to bring Formula 1 back to Mzansi.

The minister has announced the formation of a special committee that will prepare a bid for the Formula One Group and the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) in the hopes of returning the world’s biggest auto race to South Africa.

Called the Formula One Bid Steering Committee (BSC), McKenzie says that the group will be “the only recognised body to engage with F1 officials and stakeholders, to develop a comprehensive bid document to be endorsed by the South African Cabinet, before being submitted to the Formula One Group for consideration.”

R177 million to get South Africa ready to see Formula 1 on the track

The first point of order for the committee will reportedly be choosing which city and track to put forward to the FIA for consideration. This seems like a no-brainer with the only race track in the country that could potentially host the F1 located in Kyalami, Gauteng – which previously hosted Formula 1 in the late 60s and 80s.

However the track will need to undergo extensive upgrades to receive FIA Grade 1 accreditation for the utmost safety of drivers, including expansion of the tracks, the addition of new tyre walls and tecpro barriers and the widening of the pitlane.

In total these upgrades are expected to cost R177.4 million. This on top of the $57 million the track owners will have to pay Liberty Media – the owners of the Formula One Group – to host the race.

The world’s biggest auto race back in Africa

McKenzie believes it is long due for Formula 1 to return to Africa, and remarked during his announcement on Wednesday that both Rwanda and Morocco have expressed interest in bidding the FIA to host races. A major Formula 1 event has the potential to benefit the local economy greatly, with Azerbaijan raking in around $500 million from the group in the last four years.

Like the 2010 FIFA World Cup, an international sporting event also carries significant potential to generate worldwide media recognition and decades worth of tourism and other business. Such events are basically big adverts for the hosting country.

“We are not looking for bids from people who need to learn about Formula One. They need the experience, know-how, money, sponsor, relationships, and so much more. The Committee is being entrusted to pick the best,” said McKenzie.

Members of the BSC committee currently include Bakang Lethoko (Chairperson), Anton Roux, Vic Maharaj, Rendani Ramovha, Gavin Varejes, Andrew Dunn, Timothy Harris, Stephen Watson, Thabile Ngwato, Charnie-Lee Kruger, Shane Wafer, Mlimandlela Ndamase, and Nomsa Chabeli.

The minister said that the current time frame is looking at the 2027 Formula 1 calendar for races in South Africa, but it could happen as early as 2026 “If we are lucky.” It’s going to be a lot of work.