FIA to assess political and financial stability for African GP

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem says any potential Formula 1 race in Africa will need to meet strict standards for political and financial stability.

Speaking to Dutch publication Formule 1, Ben Sulayem was reminded of past comments in which he expressed a preference for Rwanda as a potential African Grand Prix host.

"No, not for Rwanda, for Africa," the FIA boss clarified. "I still believe we need more teams and more races, it's just that the drivers come to me and say 'Please, no more races'. But Africa as a continent has always been somewhat forgotten.

"I'm proud that last year, for the first time in FIA history, we held the General Assembly in Rwanda."

While funding is a key hurdle, Rwanda also faces scrutiny for political concerns and alleged human rights violations.

"Yes, you can go in that direction," Ben Sulayem said when asked about it. "When you talk about the Middle East, we have four F1 races and it often comes down to human rights and sports washing.

"Fine, but we were at the Qatar Airways British GP earlier this month," he added with a smile. So it just doesn't make sense. I'm a proponent of Africa.

"If we are considering a location in Africa, we'll follow our normal procedure and carefully consider the financial side of things and financial stability. Then we'll also certainly look carefully at whether there's stability in other areas in the country in question." A

t present, South Africa - specifically the Kyalami circuit - appears to be in a stronger position than Rwanda. The FIA has pledged to grant Kyalami the required Grade 1 certification if proposed upgrades are completed.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s sports minister Gayton McKenzie confirmed in parliament this week that a pivotal meeting with Formula 1 will take place in the next two weeks, with key private sector backers also involved.

"Those who say the country cannot afford to host Formula 1, I say South Africa cannot afford not to," McKenzie stated.

He also pointed out that many current F1 hosts are fighting to retain their calendar slots.

"They see the value in it and it cannot be called a world championship if it misses an entire continent," said McKenzie.