South African F1 fans hearts’ are revving up as the country aims to potentially host Formula 1 in South Africa by 2027, as announced by minister of sports, arts and culture, Gayton McKenzie, during a press conference earlier this week. On December 18th, the minister unveiled the formation of a dedicated bid steering committee (BSC), asserting that the government will spearhead the country’s official bid. The committee will be responsible for all aspects of preparing a bid for the consideration of the Formula One Group and global motorsport’s governing body, the FIA. The BSC will ensure that all necessary requirements are met.

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Emphasising transparency and directness, minister McKenzie stated, “The buck stops with me,” firmly ruling out any other negotiations directly with Formula 1. While Kyalami is a prime candidate due to its existing facilities, the minister encouraged other cities and provinces across South Africa to submit their proposals, including innovative ideas for street circuits, by the middle of February 2025.

Explaining the quick turnaround time, the minister said: “We are not looking for bids from people who need to learn about Formula One. They need the experience, know-how, money, sponsor, relationships, and so much more. The committee is being entrusted to pick the best. My role ends for now and theirs begins; then we will assess the winning bid once it is given to government for consideration and, hopefully, for submission to Formula One.”

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Ticket Prices Confirmed

This initiative calls for serious contenders backed by robust financing and sponsorships because, as he states in the video below, the government will not bear the financial burden. Discussing ticket accessibility on SABC this morning, McKenzie detailed a pricing strategy to make the event widely accessible, with general admission tickets priced between R2 000 and R3 000 for race days, and slightly cheaper rates for Friday. For a premium experience, paddock hospitality tickets will run around R200 000 each.

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More Than One?

Addressing the global perspective, the minister highlighted the potential for multiple F1 races in Africa, citing Italy’s example of hosting two races. His comments challenge the outdated view that limits Africa to hosting just one F1 Grand Prix, despite other countries like Italy hosting multiple races.

“Europe has 10 races, if you include Baku. One country, Italy, has two F1 races. Africa, with 54 countries, does not even have one race. So, there’s no reason that we can’t all put our name forward, and support each other, to make sure that the World Championship takes place everywhere in the world, as it should.”

Addressing the global perspective, the minister highlighted the potential for multiple F1 races in Africa, citing Italy’s example of hosting two races. His comments challenge the view that limits Africa to hosting just one Grand Prix, despite other countries like Italy hosting multiple races. Rwanda has already made its intentions to host a race quite clear, with the country’s president meeting with F1 brass on multiple occasions. The country host the 2024 FIA awards’ ceremony this past weekend.

The formation of the steering committee marks the first step toward potentially hosting a global sporting event that could boost tourism and the SA economy. As South Africa prepares its bid for a 2027 Formula 1 race, the CEO of the Formula One Group has already stated that is unlikely for a race to take place in Africa before 2028 (as we covered here).