How "immoral" is a Formula 1 GP in Rwanda, one of the poorest countries in the world?
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Formula 1 is returning to Africa: for several months now, there has been talk of a Grand Prix in Rwanda. Last August, chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali stated that the country was showing interest in the top motorsport class, and discussions were underway about the possibility of hosting a Grand Prix—the first in thirty years—on the African continent.
The last time it happened was in South Africa in 1993. Recently, even Lewis Hamilton expressed his support for a return to the calendar: “We can’t keep adding races all over the world without ever considering Africa,” he said.
However, is holding an Formula 1 Grand Prix in Rwanda really feasible? Some even call it “immoral,” as F1 Insider writes. The fact that Liberty Media is intent on hosting a Grand Prix in one of the poorest countries in the world raises eyebrows. While it's true the country seems to be experiencing a period of political stability—following the re-election of President Paul Kagame—there are still tensions and dangers due to clashes with rebels from Congo.
Formula 1 is, however, primarily a matter of money. The German magazine reports that Hermann Tilke, a German F1 circuit designer, is already ready to design a track in a country like Rwanda, marked by poverty, civil war, and dictatorship, and to charge a hefty sum for it.
A team principal, who wishes to remain anonymous, expressed his disagreement with the idea of an F1 GP in Rwanda to F1 Insider: “A country whose gross national product is 40% based on Western humanitarian aid cannot participate in such a race. The money only goes to those in power, not to those who need it.”
The most ironic part? The prestigious FIA awards ceremony will be held in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, on December 13.
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