AUSTIN, Texas — Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has thrown his full support behind Rwanda’s historic bid to host the African Grand Prix, declaring that the prospect of racing on African soil will extend his career into the 2030s and urging a long-overdue reckoning with the legacy of colonialism.
Speaking ahead of the United States Grand Prix, the 41-year-old Ferrari driver confirmed he is prepared to race into his mid-forties to fulfil a lifelong ambition. “I’m now forced to have to stay a lot longer because we have a race in Africa — and that’s been my dream, to be able to race in Africa,” Hamilton said. His comments followed last week’s landmark announcement that Formula 1 has signed a 10-year agreement with Rwanda to host the African Grand Prix on a purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, approximately 40 kilometres south of the capital, Kigali. The race, slated for the early 2030s, will mark the sport’s return to the continent for the first time since the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami in 1993.
A Dream Decades in the Making
Hamilton, born in the UK to a father of Afro-Grenadian descent, has been one of the most persistent voices calling for F1 to return to Africa. He revealed he has met repeatedly with F1 president Stefano Domenicali and various African heads of state to push for the race. For the seven-time champion, the significance of the event extends far beyond the track. “Africa is a place that deserves to have a grand prix,” he said. “It’s about more than just one country. It’s about the continent itself, and there are so many beautiful countries within it. The people are so lovely. The culture is so rich, and I think it’s important that we get to show that to the world”.
A Searing Critique of Western Education
Hamilton used the platform to deliver a pointed critique of the British education system, arguing that the legacies of colonialism remain dangerously overlooked. “Growing up in England, they never taught us anything about Africa. It needs to be on the curriculum,” he said. “A lot of the problems they have there are still results of colonialism and the West intervening”. He called on people to “educate themselves a little more about what is happening, what has happened for hundreds of years,” noting that Africa possesses “all the richest resources” and that “top brands come from Africa”.
A Call for African Unity and Global Freedom
Hamilton, who has long used his platform to speak on social justice issues, concluded his remarks with a passionate plea for African solidarity and global peace. “I really hope, and I still have hopes, that Africa unites,” he said. “I know there’s many people that don’t want that to happen because they would be so powerful if they did, but I’m still hopeful that at some stage they will”. He then issued a direct call for freedom in conflict-affected regions: “I think we need to make sure we’re pushing to free Congo, free Sudan, free Syria, free Palestine. I think there’s a lot of peace that I’m hoping that at some stage we get to”.
A Landmark Moment for Formula 1
F1 president Stefano Domenicali hailed the Rwanda agreement as “a landmark moment,” noting that the sport will now race “in every inhabited continent”. The new circuit, designed to FIA Grade 1 standards, is part of a broader sports, tourism and infrastructure development project led by the Rwanda Development Board, and is expected to serve as a year-round destination for motorsport, entertainment and business. With more than 100 million F1 fans across Africa nearly 60 per cent of whom are under 35 in key Sub-Saharan markets—the race represents a significant strategic expansion for the sport.
For Hamilton, however, the significance is deeply personal. “I have to keep fighting to try and stay fit if I can,” he said of his determination to be on the grid when the lights go out in Rwanda. “If I can still punch out good results over the next year, we’ll keep it going”. When the African Grand Prix finally arrives, it will be more than a race it will be the realisation of a dream years in the making, and a powerful statement from a champion determined to use his platform to drive change both on and off the track.
