• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
F1 have held 'serious' talks over staging controversial Grand Prix in country that nobody expected

Home> F1

Published 13:18 25 May 2025 GMT+1

F1 have held 'serious' talks over staging controversial Grand Prix in country that nobody expected

The F1 calendar currently consists of 24 Grands Prix.

Ryan Smart

Ryan Smart

Formula 1 chiefs held talks to hold a Grand Prix in a brand new location ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix - but there have since been significant developments.

In recent years, Grands Prix have been staged in a number of new countries, with races now being held in Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar among others.

The FIA have also made serious attempts to successfully break into the American market with races in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas.

Advert

Attempts to establish a base in Asia have largely been successful, with popular races in China, Japan and Singapore offset slightly by a lack of interest in previous Grands Prix in India, South Korea and Vietnam.

But one continent that has been repeatedly ignored by F1 in the past three decades has been Africa.

No race has been held in Africa since the 1993 South African Grand Prix at the Kyalami circuit.

Advert

It was scrapped in later years due to rising costs, and despite calls from Lewis Hamilton for a race to return to the country, it doesn't appear to be forthcoming.

An alternative African country has emerged in recent years in the form of Rwanda, which held last year's FIA prize-giving ceremony in its capital of Kiwali.

Last August, Motorsport.com reported that FIA president Stefano Domenicali would hold 'serious talks' over staging a race in Rwanda, with negotiations having already commenced before the Monaco Grand Prix.

Those talks have continued into 2025, with the country's president Paul Kagame confirming at the aforementioned ceremony that Rwanda were planning to launch a bid to host the Grand Prix.

Advert

Image: Twitter/@FIA
Image: Twitter/@FIA

But BBC Sport claimed in February that the chances of Rwanda hosting an F1 race had 'receded'.

There have been escalating tensions in the country and, amid an ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a Congolese government minister wrote a letter to the FIA.

In the letter, she urged the FIA to 'end negotiations and rule Rwanda out as a potential host'.

Advert

Rwanda-backed rebels attacked DR Congolese government forces in February, with UN figures indicating that around 2,900 people had been killed and approximately 700,000 others had been forced from their homes.

The Congolese government has accused Rwanda of supporting and arming M23 rebels and sending troops to support the militants, an accusation reportedly asserted by both the UN and the United States.

This has been denied by Rwanda, who claim they are acting in self-defence against the Congolese army and allied militias.

In April, the opposing countries agreed to a ceasefire while peace talks are ongoing.

Advert

According to Planet F1, the FIA are 'monitoring' developments.

Featured Image Credit: Getty

Topics: Formula 1, FIA

Ryan Smart
Ryan Smart

Live in constant hope of the top flight as a Preston North End fan. Written in the past for SPORF, GiveMeSport and more.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

3 hours ago
4 hours ago
6 hours ago
2 days ago
  • 3 hours ago

    F1 driver 'set to be replaced' after Austrian GP as team make brutal decision

    There could be another change to the 2025 Formula 1 line-up.

    F1
  • 4 hours ago

    Ferrari announce shock driver change for F1 Austrian Grand Prix race weekend

    Formula 1 will return this weekend in Austria.

    F1
  • 6 hours ago

    F1 fans adamant axed driver has 'confirmed' his return to the grid with latest post

    Formula 1 will return this weekend with the Austrian Grand Prix.

    F1
  • 2 days ago

    Every F1 driver that cameos in new Brad Pitt film as five drivers miss final cut

    Several big names did not make it into the highly-anticipated movie.

    F1
  • F1 to hold 'serious' talks over staging Grand Prix in shock country that nobody expected
  • F1 hold talks over holding new Grand Prix in iconic city as official statement released
  • Most controversial F1 Grand Prix ever saw Michael Schumacher win after 14 cars pulled out of the race
  • Major F1 Grand Prix dropped from 2026 race calendar as full season released