F1
What if F1 returned to South Africa… but not to Kyalami?
© Grégory Lenormand / DPPI
La Formula 1 and South Africa, it has been a real red herring for decades. Will Formula 1 return to South Africa, to Kyalami, more than thirty years after leaving it in 1993? Every year, the subject comes back on the table, but no major progress has been seen for several months. In 2022, South Africa came very close to returning to the calendar for the 2023 season, but the signing fell through at the last moment.
Since, despite a still strong desire to bring back F1 On the lands of the rainbow nation – whether on the side of F1, the FIA or on the side of the local authorities – little progress has been made. Last November, the Kyalami circuit announced that it had started the process of obtaining FIA Grade 1, essential to host Formula 1. However, the track could be overtaken for the return of the South African Grand Prix by a new project… with a street circuit in Cape Town.
Indeed, South African media outlet BusinessTech reports that The Cape Town Grand Prix SA (CTGPSA) will submit a bid to South Africa's Bid Steering Committee to bring Formula 1 to the streets of the port city, which is the country's parliamentary capital. To support the project, CTGPSA is proposing a 1-kilometre street circuit that would wind around the DHL Stadium – which hosted the 5,7 FIFA World Cup – and through the Green Point area, which is home to several sports venues.
Cape Town, Kyalami… or neither?
According to the CTGPSA, the idea of a return of the South African Grand Prix with a street circuit better corresponds to the expectations of Formula 1, fond of new city circuits like Miami, Las Vegas or Madrid, which will introduce the discipline's calendar in 2026. Cape Town also has the advantage of having already hosted an FIA world championship event in 2023: in fact, the Formula E had set up shop in South Africa's parliamentary capital in Season 10, with a successful experience despite the absence of the Cape Town E-Prix from the FE calendar since that single event.
Also according to BusinessTech, Gayton Mckenzie, South Africa's Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, has acknowledged the value of hosting a Formula 1 Grand Prix in Cape Town and said a thorough review process will take place, in a letter to CTGPSA CEO Igshaan Amlay. “With the continued support of our local and international fans and F1 enthusiasts, we are ready to host an F1 race at our spectacular circuit located in the Green Point Sport Tourism Precinct in Cape Town, South Africa”, said Igshaan Amlay.
However, the CTGPSA bid will face stiff competition. Indeed, the South African authorities and the city of Johannesburg – the country’s largest city and the economic capital of South Africa – still have the main desire to bring Formula 1 back to the Kyalami circuit, which could therefore move to FIA Grade 1 in the coming months. In addition, Gayton McKenzie previously revealed that a permanent circuit is already currently under construction in Cape Town, next to the Fisantekraal airport. Not to mention that South Africa itself could find itself in competition with Rwanda for the hosting of Formula 1 on the African continent…
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Dorian Grangier
A young journalist nostalgic for the motorsport of yesteryear. Raised on the exploits of Sébastien Loeb and Fernando Alonso.
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Yves-Henri RANDIER
18/01/2025 at 04:18 a.m.
Having been able to speak directly with Greg Mills about the Killarney 2050 Project, the historic Cape Town track that hosted F1 in the 60s/70s is absolutely not interested in the return of F1 to South Africa! So the two tracks of Kyalami and Cape Town Stadium remain in competition, taking up most of the 2 Cape Town e-Prix circuit, extended for the occasion.
Yves-Henri RANDIER
11/01/2025 at 03:03 a.m.
One certainty: Gayton McKenzie, Minister of Sports in office since July 2024 within the Government of National Unity, is a staunch defender of the return of F1 to South Africa. Furthermore, the owner of Kyalami (Toby Venter, Porsche importer in South Africa) has launched the process to obtain Grade 1 and has also revised his financial claims downwards (because he no longer needs to water the corrupt members of the ANC within the national decision-making bodies concerned?). As for a track under construction on the former Fisantekraal aerodrome which served as a circuit in the 1960s/1970s (and used today for drag races and car filming), the project concerns the creation of the new airport "Cape Winelands Airport" with a landing strip capable of accommodating A380s. Moreover, Killarney (with its 70 years of existence) has a "Killarney 2050" project supported by automotive personalities (Jean Todt, Jody Scheckter the only South African F1 world champion, Lawrence Tomlison, Brian Redman, Howden Ganley, David Brabham, Emmanuelle Pirro, Jan Lammers...). And a city track - not signed by Hermann Tilke is already proposed! - with the support of the mayor of Cape Town and the Western Cape (the only province not governed by the ANC) which is a sign of seriousness and solidity of the file. So Kyalami, Killarney or Cape Town Stadium, South Africa is moving to bring back a Grand Prix on the African continent!