South Africa has officially launched its bid to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2027 with plans to raise $50 million to support the effort. Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie confirmed the development in an interview, stating that the country will submit its bid in May with discussions already underway with Formula 1 organizers and potential sponsors.
McKenzie revealed that talks have been held with Heineken, Red Bull and other corporate backers to help secure the necessary funding for the bid.
“It is clear that people want to invest in this,” said McKenzie. “We have also gotten some promising news that Holland is not coming back so we might be getting that space in 2027.”
If successful, the bid would mark South Africa’s return to the Formula 1 calendar after more than three decades. The country last hosted a Grand Prix at the Kyalami race track in 1993, a year before South Africa’s first multiracial elections ended decades of White-minority rule.
A previous attempt to bring Formula 1 back to South Africa collapsed in 2023, but the government remains determined to secure a slot on the global racing circuit. Potential race tracks have been given an extended deadline until mid-March to submit their bids, with Cape Town and Johannesburg among the frontrunners.
McKenzie encouraged all South Africans and interested investors to support the government’s efforts rather than launching separate initiatives.
He also extended an invitation to President Cyril Ramaphosa to join him at the Chinese Grand Prix, where further fundraising discussions will be held.
“I am saying to you that if I don’t bring Formula 1 to South Africa, then I have failed as a Minister of Sports,” McKenzie said. “Formula 1 is coming by fire or by force.”
South Africa’s push to secure a Grand Prix comes amid growing competition with Rwanda also expressing interest in hosting the event.
However, infrastructure challenges could hinder Rwanda’s ability to meet Formula 1’s stringent requirements.
With momentum building around South Africa’s bid, attention now turns to finalizing sponsorship agreements and securing the financial backing needed to bring Formula 1 back to the continent.
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