Seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton has said the sport can’t “continue to ignore Africa” as it expands to new regions amid reports an effort to host a Rwandan Grand Prix has picked up pace.
Autosport reported recently that Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali is set to meet with Rwandan representatives in September regarding a future Grand Prix on a permanent circuit rather than a street layout.
“They are serious,” Domenicali explained of the efforts to bring F1 back to Africa for the first time since the 1993 South African GP at Kyalami.
Hamilton, a long-time advocate for F1’s return to Africa has said the continent must be part of the series’ expansion plans moving forward.
“We can’t be adding races in other locations and continue to ignore Africa which the rest of the world takes from, no one gives anything to Africa,” Hamilton told select media including Motorsport Week at Zandvoort on Thursday.
“There’s a huge amount of work there that needs to be done. I think a lot of the world that haven’t been there don’t realise how beautiful the place is and how vast it is.
“I think having a Grand Prix there would really be able to highlight how great the place is and bring in tourism and all sorts of things so why are we not on that continent?”
Hamilton pondered whether “The current excuse is maybe there’s not a track that is ready, but there is at least one track that’s ready [Kyalami].”
With regards to Rwanda, Hamilton said it “is one of my favourite places I’ve been to.
“I’ve been doing a lot of work in the background and spoken to people in Rwanda and South Africa and that’s a long project in Rwanda, but it’s amazing that they’re so keen to get [a Grand Prix].”
For the second year in succession, Hamilton travelled to Africa during the summer break to explore the continent’s culture and history, visiting Morocco, Senegal, Benin, Mozambique and Madagascar.
“I’m still digesting the trip and going to a refugee camp and seeing the work being done there and how people are displaced,” Hamilton said.
“It’s one thing reading about it and seeing it on the news, but actually seeing it and speaking to kids who have 10km to get to school to have an education and then 10km back and not having school meals, not able to eat during the day, they have really tough lives over there and it’s mostly women and children who are affected the most.
“There wasn’t a lot of men there because they’re either killed or taken in different conflict areas.
“That was really heavy to see and experience and then in Senegal and seeing the slave areas just to see what the country has been through and it’s such a beautiful place.
“Through all those experiences it’s adding to my compass of what I want to do going forward.”
Hamilton has used his incredible wealth and influence to support ethnic minorities and people from underrepresented communities in motorsport and STEM subjects through his Mission 44 and Hamilton Commission initiatives.
Following his recent trip to Africa, Hamilton noted “It’s great to see organisations doing amazing work” in refugee camps.
“What can I do to get on board, how can I help,” he pondered. Adding, “So that’s what I’m trying to do.”
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