GAYTON MCKENZIE ANNOUNCES F1 BID

The first steps have been taken to start South Africa’s Formula One hosting bid.

At a media conference held at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in Johannesburg, sports, arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie made the announcement.

McKenzie said that a Bid Steering Committee (BSC) has been formed and will be chaired by the PA’s Bakang Lethoko.

Some of the members of the BSC are MultiChoice CEO Rendani Ramovha, Anton Roux from Motorsport SA who’s also a senate member at the FIA, and the CEO and co-founder of Newzroom Afrika Thabile Ngwato.

The last time South Africa hosted a Grand Prix at Kyalami was on 14 March 1993.

Toby Venter, owner of the circuit, said the upgrades to Kyalami to ensure it’s a Grade A Formula Once circuit were 90% on track. The track should be fully licensed by the end of 2025.

Kyalami isn’t the only track to bid for a Formula One grand prix race. Welkom’s Phakisa raceway has also announced that it will be bidding for a race on the calendar, as well as a mysterious “Wakanda City”.

South Africa isn’t the only country to announce the start of its bidding. Rwandan President Paul Kagame said his country will also be hoping for a chance to host a Formula One race.

The news was welcomed by MacKenzie who said that countries like Italy are lucky enough to host two races, why can’t a continent like Africa also host two races?

Image credit: Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit