The planned return of Formula 1 to the African continent through the new race in Rwanda has caused a wave of dissatisfaction among fans. The World Championship has confirmed a 10-year agreement with the state, with the track expected to be on the calendar in the early 2030s of this century. At the same time, the leadership of the sport has not yet commented on the issues surrounding human rights in the country.
The new facility will be located about 40 kilometers south of the capital Kigali, located by a lake and with an impressive elevation gain of 197 meters. The designer of the track Alex Wurz described it as a real “horror rollercoaster“, including a steep descent on the back straight. However, a number of negative comments have appeared on social media regarding the published graphic concepts. Supporters criticized the sequence of excessively tight corners, the small overtaking opportunities and the safety zone, which was likened to a shortcut from the video game Mario Kart, while the illustration itself was called by many a cheap product of artificial intelligence.
Formula 1's absence from Africa has continued since the South African Grand Prix in 1993, with Rwanda becoming only the third country on the continent, after Morocco and South Africa, to host a start in the world championship. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has been pushing for this step for many years. "I've always said that we should have a Grand Prix in Africa. For me, it's the most important continent, to be honest, and the most beautiful continent," the driver said when the news was announced.
Although the agreement is now an official fact, the first race remains several years away. Work on the construction of the facility is still ahead, where the organizers and designers will have to turn their ambitious project into a reality that meets the high standards for quality overtaking and safety.