South Africa's Kyalami circuit says the FIA has approved upgrades which would let it host Formula 1
MIDRAND, South Africa (AP) — Formula 1 could be a step closer to holding a race in Africa again after the owner of the Kyalami circuit in South Africa said Wednesday that the sport's governing body had approved upgrades to the track.
A statement from the circuit said that the FIA had 'accepted final design proposals' for work which would upgrade Kyalami from the FIA's Grade 2 to the Grade 1 status required for F1.
It added that Kyalami has been given three years to complete the upgrades and that 'selected works' will be carried out only once Kyalami has been selected to host F1.
'Today, we turn the page to a bold new chapter for Kyalami. We are ready for the return of Formula 1 to African soil,' circuit owner Toby Venter said.
Kyalami hosted the most recent F1 race in Africa in 1993 but other countries are also interested in bringing the series back to the continent. Rwanda is working on its own project and Morocco reportedly has plans too.
___
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Formula 1 gains US popularity ahead of F1 movie: What to know
International racing car championship Formula 1 is gaining popularity in the US ahead of the F1 film hitting theaters later this month. Yahoo Finance Senior Autos Reporter Pras Subramanian joins Wealth with Allie Canal to discuss the details and share his recent interview with Williams F1 Racing Team principal James Vowles. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Wealth here. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
🎥 Foden ends goalless run with historic CWC strike against Wydad
Manchester City's Club World Cup campaign has raced out of the blocks after taking a 1-0 lead in the 2nd minute against Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca. One of the tournament heavyweights in the summer tournament, City are sporting new signings Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders in the matchday XI, but it was academy product Phil Foden to set them off and running in Philadelphia. Advertisement The England international, who has struggled mightily in front of goal of late, bagged his first goal in 20 appearances for club and country, converting from inside the box after Wydad shot-stopper El Mehdi Benabid could only parry Savinho's shot right into his path. Foden controlled well before turning his effort into the gapping goal to bank the fastest in Club World Cup history, which he will no doubt hope will be a sign of things to come for the pending 2025/26 season. 📸 David Ramos - 2025 Getty Images


Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Mercedes F1 Team Boss Laughs Off Red Bull's Canadian GP Protest: "Embarrassing!"
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has ridiculed Red Bull's protest, which challenged George Russell's maiden victory of the 2025 season in Canada. Wolff called it an "embarrassing" attempt by Red Bull to influence the race result. Russell dominated the Canadian Grand Prix after starting from pole position and defended the position from Max Verstappen, who came second. Towards the end of the race, Verstappen closed the gap to Russell after they had lapped several cars, but Russell held his ground. A safety car in the closing stages ensured Russell crossed the finish line first. However, two hours after the race, Red Bull launched two protests related to the way Russell drove behind the safety car. George Russell of Great Britain and Mercedes is congratulated by Mercedes CEO and Team Principal Toto Wolff in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on April 13, 2025... George Russell of Great Britain and Mercedes is congratulated by Mercedes CEO and Team Principal Toto Wolff in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on April 13, 2025 in Bahrain, Bahrain. MoreThe Milton Keynes-based team alleged that Russell's conduct behind the safety car was erratic and inappropriate. However, after hearing both parties and taking into consideration all the evidence, the FIA stewards cleared Russell of any wrongdoing after several hours. The race result remained uncertain until that point. Wolff offered his views on the "petty" matter at the launch of the F1 movie in New York. Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: "It took Red Bull Racing two hours before they launched the protest, so that was their doing. Honestly, it's so petty and so small. They come up with some weird clauses, what they call clauses. "I guess the FIA needs to look at that because it's so far-fetched it was rejected. You race, you win and you lose on track. That was a fair victory for us, like so many they had in the past. And it's just embarrassing." However, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner admitted that he had no regrets about the protest. He said: "It's a team's right to do so. We saw something we didn't think was quite right. "You have the ability to put it in front of the stewards and so that's what we chose to do. Absolutely no regrets in that." Speaking of Russell, the 27-year-old driver is left without an F1 seat for 2026 since Mercedes has yet to confirm him as their driver for next year. Rumors suggest that Aston Martin is keen on signing him for the new campaign. However, considering the support Russell received from Mercedes since he was a junior driver, he made it clear that he intends to stay with his current team. He said: "No, I'm not talking with anybody else and any teams who have shown interest. I have been quite open to say my intentions are to stay with Mercedes. That's always been clear. "And, you know, I am loyal to Mercedes. They gave me this chance to get into Formula 1." He added: "But ultimately there are two seats for every race team and I knew if I continued to perform as I'm doing, my position would not be under threat whatsoever. So, I feel in a good place. We're in no rush to do contract negotiations." Related: Toto Wolff Hints George Russell Mercedes F1 Contract Renewal Incoming