Viaplay commentator and Formula 1 columnist, Nelson Valkenburg, was taken aback when he discovered that Formula 1 has serious plans for a Grand Prix in Rwanda. Is this another race driven by greed and ego?
Rwanda. Yes, you read it right. A Grand Prix in Rwanda. This isn’t an April Fool’s joke. Formula 1 is seriously considering a Grand Prix in Rwanda. The paddock has been buzzing with stories that the rights holder, FOM, wants to continue driving the growth of Formula 1. New markets need to be tapped into, new viewers need to be found. And if possible, a new Grand Prix should be added to the calendar.
Why Rwanda?
So, Rwanda has emerged as one of the contenders for a Formula 1 Grand Prix. The desire to race on the African continent is a long-held and logical one from the perspective of Formula 1. It’s the only market we haven’t yet reached. But South Africa seemed to be the major contender: a modern circuit in the form of Kyalami, with a Formula 1 history, and an economy that, although struggling, can confidently claim it can afford Formula 1.
Rwanda doesn’t seem to be such a country. The number of license holders there can be counted on one hand. Almost half of the population lives below the poverty line and a brand-new circuit still needs to be built near the metropolis of Kigali. Is this the place where you want to bring the world’s most expensive sport?
Comparing with Brazil
A good comparison is Brazil. The Sao Paulo circuit is right next to the favelas, the slums. Poverty, crime, and inequality: you find it all just outside the gates of the circuit. And there we are, with millions of euros worth of race cars, watches, sponsor events, and TV cameras. And the idea that the environment is improving, I’m yet to be convinced. It sometimes just doesn’t feel right.
That’s why Rwanda doesn’t feel right to me either. Will the local poverty rates improve if we bring the Formula 1 circus there, or is it a project driven by greed and ego? I would love for us to race in Africa, for Formula 1 to attract even more fans. That talents from the continent could make it to Formula 1 and that if money is made from a Grand Prix, the people there really benefit from it.
Maybe I’m not looking broadly enough, maybe I don’t understand the macroeconomic impact of an event like a Grand Prix on the region of what is effectively a third-world country. But feelings are also important. And this just doesn’t feel like the right step. Come on Formula 1, figure it out. And make sure Africa is added to the calendar in the right way.
