F1 News: Lewis Hamilton’s Dream of Racing in Africa Advances as FIA Unveils Masterplan for the Future

Lewis Hamilton has been voicing his dream of bringing Formula 1 back to the continent of Africa before he retires. Africa hasn’t hosted a race for 30 years, with the last South African Grand Prix held in 1993. Now, it seems like Hamilton’s dreams are one step closer to becoming a reality because in recent discussions about potential new venues for a Grand Prix, South Africa, and the iconic Kyalami Circuit have been in the spotlight.

There were even ongoing talks between Formula 1 and the Kyalami circuit officials earlier this year. However, Jody Scheckter, the 1979 World Champion revealed that despite significant efforts, negotiations came to a halt due to what he described as greed from circuit officials. Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali also acknowledged previous negotiations with Kyalami but emphasized the need for stability and the right partners.

FIA President unveils new plans to bring motorsport back to Africa

Speaking to motorsport-magazin.com, as per GPBlog FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem recently emphasized the importance of focusing on Africa, a place that has a rich history of Motorsport. He mentioned strong connections and the presence of a dedicated vice president in Africa. Sulayem also highlighted efforts to strengthen local motorsport clubs, introducing initiatives like “Motorsport in a Box.”

“We have very good contacts in Africa,” said Ben Sulayem. “There should be more focus on Africa… We are strengthening the local clubs there. In some regions, we start at the grassroots, we call it ‘Motorsport in a Box’. This is a box you get from the FIA. It has very simple equipment in it, like timing and phones. At least then you can do speed tests.“

Sulayem stressed the significance of growing motorsport from the bottom up, stating, “I cannot give orders, the water does not flow down here. It is the other way around, it goes from the bottom to the top. You have to start at the bottom. That is why we have recently launched ‘Motorsport in a Box’, we are sending it to them and we are going to get them involved in motorsport.”

Turning the focus to Formula 1 and the possibilities in Africa, Sulayem acknowledged South Africa’s rich motorsport history and the ongoing negotiation to return F1 to Kyalami. “Since last year, there has been a lot of talk about Formula 1 returning to Kyalami. That would be something great for Africa. We are also thinking about an electric championship that Africa would like to be involved in. That would also be good,“ he concluded.

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Despite the setbacks for F1’s return to Africa, the Mercedes driver refuses to let the discussions die as he keeps urging Formula 1 officials to bring back the African GP.

Lewis Hamilton is pushing Stefano Domenicali to get Africa back on the F1 calendar

The seven-time World Champion is strongly committed to bringing Formula 1 back to Africa. Despite the recent delay of plans for the Kyalami circuit, Lewis Hamilton remains a vocal advocate for expanding Formula 1 into Africa. And his efforts are not going unnoticed.

Hamilton is actively engaging with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, underlining the importance of the continent in F1’s global presence, and making a strong case for its inclusion in the racing calendar. In a recent statement to Motorsport Week, Hamilton expressed his commitment to the cause.

“I hear there’s a lot of people complaining about the direction that Stefano and Liberty have been going but I think they’ve been doing an amazing job,” said Hamilton. “This sport is growing massively, it’s going to grow even more once we get this movie out. I’m on to Stefano because I really want to get the race in South Africa or in Africa, so if it’s not South Africa, it will be somewhere else there hopefully because we’re on all the other continents.“

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Do you think Lewis Hamilton would be able to see his dream realized before he finally hangs up his helmet? Share your thoughts down below in the comments.