SPORTS · VERIFIED DEVELOPMENT
Hamilton Sets 2030s Goal to Race in Rwanda’s New African Grand Prix
WHY IT MATTERS
Hamilton’s commitment underscores F1’s strategic push into Africa and signals a new chapter for the sport’s global expansion, while also shaping his own legacy as the last champion to race on the continent before the 2030s.
What happened
Seven‑time world champion Lewis Hamilton, now 41, has announced he will extend his Formula One career into the early 2030s so he can compete in the first African Grand Prix since 1993. The race, scheduled for a purpose‑built Bugesera circuit 25 miles south of Kigali, is part of a 10‑year deal that confirms Rwanda will host the event.
Hamilton says the race is “right” for F1, even as critics point to the country’s human‑rights record.
By aligning his personal plans with the new African venue, he aims to make the 2030s his final decade of racing and to be part of the sport’s first return to the continent in nearly thirty years.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Lewis Hamilton aims to extend career till early 2030s so he can race in African Grand Prix
The Guardian · Giles Richards in Austin · Discovery only; Guardian content licensing terms apply