F1 to hold 'serious' talks over staging Grand Prix in shock country that nobody expected

FIA chiefs are reportedly holding 'serious talks' to bring Grand Prix racing back to Africa - but not to the country many might have expected.

Africa hasn't hosted a Grand Prix since the 1993 South African Grand Prix at the Kyalami circuit.

The race had previously been a regular since first appearing on the calendar in 1967 - barring a boycott of seven years between 1985 and 1992 due to the country's apartheid policies - but plans to hold the race beyond 1993 were abandoned due to costs.

Lewis Hamilton has repeatedly called for South Africa to be re-added to the calendar, and reports claimed that a race there was considered in 2023 amid discussions over the future of the Belgian Grand Prix.

Motorsport.com, however, said that a South African Grand Prix would not happen until at least 2025 due to contractual concerns.

Now, the same outlet have revealed that the FIA have pencilled in talks with an African nation to hold a Grand Prix there - but it is not South Africa.

Instead, it is Rwanda that have a 'serious' proposal to host an F1 race on a new permanent circuit.

FIA president Stefano Domenicali said: "They are serious. They have presented a good plan and actually we have a meeting with them at the end of September. It will be on a permanent track."

It is added that Rwanda held talks with the FIA at the Monaco Grand Prix earlier this year, and will hosting the FIA's annual Prize Giving Ceremony in Kigali in December.

Rwanda has little background to speak of when it comes to single-seater motorsport, but the country has a much more recognisable presence in rallying.

It hosts the annual Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally, which brings together some of the top rallying talent from across Africa.

It was added to the African Rally Championship in 2000, and is ran by the Rwanda Automobile Club.

In terms of single-seater drivers, Sky Sports F1 presenter and pundit Naomi Schiff, who holds Rwanda and Belgium dual nationality, raced in the W Series in 2019.

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On the FIA's desire to hold a race in Africa, Domenicali said: "We want to go to Africa, but we need to have the right investment and the right strategic plan.

"We need to have the right moment, and we need to make sure that also in that country, in that region, in that continent, there is the right welcoming, because, of course, they have other priorities.

"We need to be always very careful in making the right choices."