Does F1 Race In South Africa?

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Over the last few years, Formula 1 has experienced a huge surge in popularity, with millions of new fans worldwide and the addition of a large number of circuits in exotic and varied locations. One such place that has been talked about recently is South Africa. What happened to that GP?

F1 raced 23 times in South Africa between 1962 and 1993 at Prince George and Kyalami circuits, being a regular during the 60s, 70s, and 80s. However, since then, it has not hosted any other Grand Prix to date, and although there have been negotiations for its return in 2023, these have failed.

After several months of rumors and waiting, the FIA recently announced its 2023 calendar with 24 Grands Prix, the longest season in history, but which finally does not include the long-awaited South African GP.

Is F1 Coming to South Africa?

After 30 years off the calendar, rumors of a possible return of the South African Grand Prix were stoked in June 2022, when Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali visited the country to discuss with some local stakeholders.

Domenicali visited some infrastructures and discussed with some important figures, such as the owner of the Kyalami circuit Toby Venter, who needs a big investment fund for his circuit to have an F1 rating.

Africa is the only continent not to race the F1 schedule, and some stars, such as Lewis Hamilton, have shown their enthusiasm in returning to race in South Africa after such a long time.

However, despite Domenicali\’s visit and the rumors that have been going on for so many months, no agreement has been reached for 2023, so for the time being, F1 will not return to South Africa, although it cannot be ruled out in the next few years.

Does South Africa Have An F1 Track?

The most important racing circuits in South Africa are Kyalami and Prince George, where Formula 1 has raced numerous times during the 20th century.

The Prince George\’s circuit would not be able to host a current Formula 1 Grand Prix, as it is considered too small for the category.

On the other hand, the Kyalami, due to its dimensions, can host a Formula 1 Grand Prix, but for this, as mentioned above, it would need some reforms such as new barriers and tarmac run-off areas to get the necessary FIA Grade 1 license, which would allow it to be included in the calendar.

Here are some key points to note about Prince George and Kyalami circuits:

Prince George Circuit:

  • Location: East London, Eastern Cape Province.
  • Grand Prix Hosted: 1934, 1936-39, 1960-66.
  • Length: 3.920 km (2.436 miles).
  • Turns: 9.
  • Race lap record: 1:25.200 (Jack Brabham, Brabham BT19, 1966, F1).

Kyalami:

  • Location: Midrand, Gauteng.
  • Grand Prix Hosted: 1967-85, 1992-93.
  • Length: 4.529 km (2.814 miles).
  • Turns: 16.
  • Race lap record: 1:42.021 (Matt Campbell, Porsche 911 (991) GT3 R, 2020, GT3).

The History Of South Africa In Formula 1

The first South African Grand Prix was held in 1934 at the Prince George\’s Circuit, which in its original version was 24.461 km long and was subsequently held from 1936 to 1939. After World War II, racing returned to South Africa in 1960 at the same circuit, but it was not until 1962 that it became part of the Formula 1 World Championship.

Formula 1 raced at the Prince George\’s Circuit until 1966, where Jim Clark, with 3 victories, was the most successful driver. In 1967, the Kyalami circuit, built in 1961, replaced the Prince George Circuit. Kyalami remained on the calendar until 1985, becoming one of the classic F1 circuits. Niki Lauda was the most successful driver there, with 3 victories.

However, the South African GP was excluded from the championship in 1986 due to political sanctions by apartheid policies. The South African GP returned briefly for two rounds, 1992 and 1993, after the Kyalami circuit was rebuilt as part of commercial development. The layout was largely modified but still retained the main features.

Despite all this, Formula 1 stopped racing at Kyalami in 1993 due to bankruptcy on the part of the promoter and has not returned to South Africa ever since.

What Does The 2023 F1 Calendar Look Like?

With the final non-inclusion of the South African Grand Prix for 2023, other races that were in danger of being left out, such as the Belgian GP held at Spa-Francorchamps, will finally stay.

The FIA recently announced the ambitious 2023 calendar, with a record-breaking 24 Grands Prix between March 5 and November 26. The circuits of China and Qatar return, and the new Las Vegas night street circuit has been added. The first race is in Bahrain, the season finale in Abu Dhabi, and the traditional summer break will remain in August.

As there are so many races in such a short space of time, there will be 9 back-to-back races. It is a very compressed format, which has caused controversy both for the number of races (excessive for many) and for the order since there is a long distance separating some races from the following ones.

DateLocationTrack
February 23-25Pre-season testingSakhir
March 5BahrainSakhir
March 19Saudi ArabiaJeddah
April 2AustraliaMelbourne
April 16ChinaShanghai
April 30AzerbaijanBaku
May 7MiamiMiami
May 21Emilia RomagnaImola
May 28MonacoMonaco
June 4SpainBarcelona
June 18CanadaMontreal
July 2AustriaSpielberg
July 9United KingdomSilverstone
July 23HungaryBudapest
July 30BelgiumSpa
August 27NetherlandsZandvoort
September 3ItalyMonza
September 17SingaporeSingapore
September 24JapanSuzuka
October 8QatarLusail
October 22USAAustin
October 29MexicoMexico City
November 5BrazilSao Paulo
November 18Las VegasLas Vegas
November 26Abu DhabiYas Marina
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Editorial credit: Wirestock Creators / Shutterstock.com

Conclusion

The last time Formula 1 raced in South Africa was in 1993 at the Kyalami circuit. Since then, the category has not returned.

Although there were rumors of a possible return in 2023, in the end, this has not been the case, but we will have to keep an eye on whether there are moves for the next few years.

Sources

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