We have some bad news. It looks as though the prestigious F1 Grand Prix won’t be making its way to the Kyalami race track in 2024, according to RacingNews365.com which broke the news yesterday.
Why? Take your pick. Whether it be the incessant load shedding, expensive fuels, or our government’s chummy relationship with Russia. If the outlet’s sources are correct, we have the country’s supposed neutral position on the ongoing war in Ukraine to thank for the F1’s continued absence. Previous reports that South Africa supplied arms to Russia surely didn’t help the matter.
No F1 in sight
It’s been thirty years since the Kyalami circuit hosted an F1 Grand Prix and that streak is set to continue, despite Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei’s premature ‘announcement’ of F1’s plans to come to South Africa nearly a year ago. Even Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton was “pushing” for a race on the African continent to be reinstated last month.
After a failed attempt to host the GP in South Africa this year due to financial reasons, plans turned towards a revival in 2024. Until recently, it felt like we were so close to making that happen. It’s understood that 777 – a Miami-based sports investment company and new promoter for the sport – had already come to an agreement to rent out the venue for the 2024 season.
With South Africa’s absence from the tour, it is likely that F1 keeps the Belgian Grand Prix, hosted at The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, affixed to the calendar for another year.
Stuff reached out to Kyalami for comment but had not received one at the time of publication nor has Formula 1 officially commented on Africa’s absence.