Latest news with #FIA
The Citizen
6 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Citizen
'Don't laugh', F1 is coming to South Africa, McKenzie reiterates
South Africa has taken one step closer to hosting an F1 Grand Prix. David Coulthard performs during the filming of Racing Around Kyalami in Johannesburg, South Africa on October 4, 2024. Picture: Red Bull Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has reiterated that there's progress in bringing Formula One (F1) back to South Africa This will delight many fans, including the writer, who has to contend with tuning into paid TV on weekends to satisfy the pangs of an F1 adrenaline rush. McKenzie shared an update about the progress on the high-octane sport after presenting the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture's budget vote in parliament on Tuesday. South Africa took one step closer to hosting an F1 Grand Prix. But Kyalami Grand Prix circuit owner Toby Venter painted a grim picture and put a damper on celebrations, citing a lack of commitment from government. F1 is coming However, McKenzie expressed a different sentiment after presenting his budget vote. He said South Africa will have a Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) approved track sooner than expected. 'They [FIA] have given us three years to finish the track. But I can tell you, it's breaking news. It will take us four months to finish the track to that standard. People say it's three years, three years is what they've given us to go and get the money and to do the plans that they have approved. 'But I can tell you that a company, which is called Apex; they've also done the Miami track, they've already been paid the money. So the Toby Venter group, the Kyalami group, is paid, and the track will be between four and six months. I think the track will be done, and we will have a FIA-approved F1 track,' McKenzie said. Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has reiterated that there's progress in bringing Formula One (F1) back to South Africa @TheCitizen_News — 𝙵𝚊𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚕 𝙿𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚕 ⚡️ (@FaizelPatel143) July 16, 2025 ALSO READ: Kyalami or Cape Town? Race to host SA F1 Grand Prix revs up Kyalami British-based company Apex Circuit Design was last year tasked with drawing up the plans for upgrades Kyalami need to achieve the required Grade 1 status to host F1 racing. The grading is determined by the kilogramme-to-horsepower ratio. The ratio of F1 cars is the lowest of any motorsport class and therefore requires the highest FIA certification. In June, Venter announced that the FIA had approved the proposed upgrades Kyalami required to host a F1 race for the first time since 1993 and had been granted a three-year window to comply. He was confident that the upgrades, for which the circuit would foot the bill – estimated to be between R90 million and R180 million and set to take three months – could be completed before the end of the year. While Kyalami is the favourite to host an F1 race, other local bids are expected to come from Cape Town and Wakanda Smart City. Rwanda has also expressed its intention of being the first to bring F1 back to Africa. ALSO READ: REVIEW: Lego's Speed Champions F1, an adrenaline build No jokes McKenzie said people thought he was joking when he said F1 would return to the country. 'Many laughed when I uttered the words, 'Formula One must come back to South Africa'. One man in particular who didn't laugh was Toby Venter, the owner of the Kyalami racetrack, McKenzie said. 'When I told him that government doesn't have the money to host Formula One because of other more urgent priorities, and we would not be in a position to help him pay for the track to reach F1 standards, he looked me in the eye and said he would see it would be his patriotic duty to do just that. 'That was a year ago. I stand here to tell you that the FIA, the FIFA of motorsport, has given the green light for the upgrading of the track,' McKenzie said. Affordability McKenzie added that his department has had multiple meetings with F1 management, with a crucial one scheduled for the next two weeks. 'To those who say the country can't afford to host the F1, I'm saying the country can't afford not to. When you set the bar high for a country, as we have in the past, you can't afford to take the bar back down. 'We hosted the best FIFA World Cup. We put our country on the map for big events and should not turn back now. What will be different this time, though, is that government will not be expected to pay. Companies like MTN, MultiChoice, Heineken and many more have raised their hands and said, 'here we are, Thuma Rona'. They will be present with us in the meeting with Formula One at the end of the month,' McKenzie said. F1 is important McKenzie added that they have also met with other businessmen. 'We've even had patriots like Johann Rupert who've told us, 'Scream for help if all else fails'. So we know we will succeed. 'Those who are saying Formula One is not important should consider all the countries that are holding on to their F1 spots on the calendar. They see the value in it, and it can't be called a world championship if it misses an entire continent, sub-Saharan Africa in particular,' McKenzie said. Spinning McKenzie also thanked people who joined the department in its mission to grow the sport of spinning. 'I want to thank Red Bull and Cell C in particular. People were laughing when we said we're going to make spinning big, but already this sport has left the townships and now Sam Sam is wowing the likes of Max Verstappen with his skills in Austria'. 'The Kyalami Grand Prix circuit in Midrand, north of Johannesburg, hosted 21 Grands Prix from 1967 to 1993. 'Its list of winners includes Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Jim Clark and our very own Jody Scheckter.' ALSO READ: F1 in SA will be 'catalyst' for uplifting motorsport, McKenzie says
IOL News
6 hours ago
- Automotive
- IOL News
F1 return to Africa: Kyalami nears green light as key meeting looms
Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has vowed to bring Formula 1 back to South Africa, revealing in Parliament that a crucial meeting with F1 leadership will take place within two weeks. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has told Parliament that a critical meeting regarding the fate of Formula One on the African continent is set to take place within the fortnight. McKenzie was presenting his department's R6.3 billion budget before Parliament when he made the remarks. During his presentation, the Minister noted that Kyalami had received FIA approval to begin upgrades aimed at achieving Grade 1 status in line with Formula 1 specifications. Last month, Kyalami Circuit in Johannesburg was given the green light by the FIA to upgrade the racetrack, which is currently classified as Grade 2. The proposed upgrades focus on enhancing the run-off areas, barrier systems, debris fencing, kerbs, and drainage systems. Toby Venter, owner of Kyalami and driving force behind the project, is privately funding the multi-million Rand improvements. However, the FIA has yet to give either South Africa or Rwanda the official nod to host the 2027 Grand Prix — raising the possibility that Venter's investment could be in vain. Still, both McKenzie and Venter appear undeterred in their ambition to return F1 to the continent. Kyalami is only one of two circuits in Africa to have hosted a F1 race, with its most recent GP taking place in 1993. That race was graced by none other than Ayrton Senna, who drove his iconic V12 McLaren on the Johannesburg track. He finished second that year behind another legend Alain Prost of France. More than three decades on, McKenzie believes the time is right for South Africa to return to the F1 calendar. 'Many people laughed when I uttered the words, 'Formula 1 must come back to South Africa'. One man who didn't laugh was Toby Venter, the owner of Kyalami racetrack,' McKenzie told Parliament. 'When I told him that the government doesn't have the money to host Formula 1 — because of other, more urgent priorities — and that we would not be able to help him pay for the track to reach F1 standards, he looked me in the eye and said he would see it as his patriotic duty to do just that. 'We have had multiple meetings with the management of F1, with a crucial one happening in the next two weeks.' McKenzie also hinted at corporate support from companies such as MTN and Heineken, but it remains unclear whether the upcoming meeting he referred to is the one in which the FIA will decide which African country secures the 2027 race. Despite scepticism in some quarters, the minister insisted there was immense value in hosting a South African GP again. He argued that without a stop in sub-Saharan Africa, the F1 world championship could not truly claim to be global. To ensure the upgrades meet the highest international standards, Venter has enlisted UK-based Apex Circuit Design. Its founder, Clive Bowen, said Kyalami only needed a 'light touch-up' to reach world-class motorsport specifications.
TimesLIVE
11 hours ago
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Gayton McKenzie names potential sponsors for South African F1 Grand Prix
Sport, arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie has given the strongest indication yet that the country may be close to securing a round of the Formula One championship at Kyalami. Speaking to parliament on Tuesday, he said after meetings with the management of F1, the 'crucial one' would happen in the next two weeks and would be attended by potential sponsors ready to fund the event, which reputedly costs about R2bn. Expected to take place in 2027, it would be the first F1 race to be held in South Africa since 1993, a grand prix won by Alain Prost in a Williams. McKenzie's comments come after Kyalami was recently given the green light for upgrades by the FIA, the organisation that runs F1 racing. Kyalami owner Toby Venter revealed last month the FIA had accepted final design proposals to upgrade the 4.5km circuit from Grade 2 to Grade 1 status, the international standard required to host Formula One racing. The upgrade requires no change to the circuit layout and focuses on enhancing run-off areas, barrier systems, debris fencing, kerbs and drainage. 'When we hosted the Fifa World Cup, we put our country on the map to host big events, and we should not turn back now,' McKenzie told parliament on Tuesday. 'What will be different this time is that government will not be expected to pay. Companies such as MTN, MultiChoice, Heineken and many more have raised their hands and will be present with us in the meeting with Formula One management at the end of the month. 'We've even had patriots saying whenever you need help come to us, one of them being the richest man in the country, Johann Rupert.' In December McKenzie set up an F1 bid steering committee to consider submissions from local promoters and three were received: one from Kyalami and two from Cape Town. While no official announcement has been made about which bid was successful, it is all but certain that Kyalami, which hosted its first F1 race in 1967 and has long held a prominent place in local motorsport, is the preferred option. Several attempts to bring the Grand Prix back to the country were thwarted due to the high cost of hosting the event. As a motorsport fan, McKenzie has campaigned for the country to be on the F1 calendar since his appointment as sports minister in July 2024. He said F1 can't be considered a world championship if it misses an entire continent. Morocco and South Africa have hosted world championship grands prix in the past, Casablanca in 1958, South Africa in East London in the 1960s and Kyalami 20 times between 1967 and 1993. McKenzie kick-started the process when he met Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in September. He said many laughed when he said Formula One should come back to South Africa. 'To those who say the country can't afford to host the F1, I'm saying the country can't afford not to host it,' he said, referring to the economic benefits he believed the event could bring in terms of tourism and temporary job creation. It is not known how much tickets would cost, but they are likely to be expensive. The cheapest adult ticket at this year's Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne was about R2,000.
Business Recorder
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Blasphemy cases: IHC orders govt to constitute commission within 30 days
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC), Tuesday, directed the federal government to constitute a commission within 30 days to probe blasphemy cases. A single bench of IHC comprising Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan issued the directions in petitions filed by the victim families seeking formation of judicial commission to investigate the cases. The bench directed the federal government to form a commission within 30 days to investigate blasphemy cases. It also directed that the commission formed by the federal government must complete its proceedings within four months. In this matter, the victim families, represented by advocates, Abid Saqi and Usman Warraich, had petitioned the high court for the formation of a judicial commission. They mentioned a report by the Punjab Special Branch titled 'The Blasphemy Business'. The report alleged that a suspicious gang had been entrapping youth in blasphemy cases and extorting money from them after filing complaints with the FIA in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. During the hearing, an additional director of the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency informed the court that Komal Ismail's identity card had been blocked and four SIM cards are registered on Komal's ID card but none of the numbers have been active since November. Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan noted that the petition was filed on September 14 and Komal went missing in November. The additional director of NCCIA assured the court that Komal has not left the country and remains in Pakistan. When the judge asked that if Komal's name had been placed on the Exit Control List (ECL), the Additional Director confirmed that it had and search efforts are continuing. Justice Ishaq said that Komal's safety is a serious concern and asked what measures the agency could take to protect her life. Advocate Hadi Ali Chatha informed the bench that the court had requested WhatsApp data for three numbers from cellular network companies. However, lawyers representing the cellular companies stated that WhatsApp call detail records (CDRs) are not available, and phone number CDRs are only retained for one year. The judge said that if the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has the authority, the commission could request the information, stressing the importance due to the lives at stake. After hearing the arguments, Justice Ishaq said that the court's role was to determine whether sufficient material exists to form the commission and accepted the petitions directing the government to form the commission within 30 days and the commission must complete its work within four months but may request additional time from the court if needed. In the petition, the petitioners asserted that this gang is the complainant in nearly 90 per cent of blasphemy cases registered by the FIA. It added that operating under the name 'Legal Commission on Blasphemy,' the group is said to be consisted of both men and women targeting poor and lower middle class Muslim families. They revealed that a concerning pattern emerges in the FIRs: out of over 400 alleged victims, 70 per cent are young men and women in their twenties or younger while many of the victims are professionals, including engineers, Hafiz-e-Quran, and degree holders in various fields. They further said that they had approached the federal government with a formal request dated August 4, 2024, seeking the formation of an inquiry commission on the Special Branch's report. However, no action has been taken to date. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Qatar Tribune
20 hours ago
- Automotive
- Qatar Tribune
Ben Sulayem ruling FIA with an iron fist can have its advantages: Wolff
Principal of Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team, Toto Wolff says Mohammed Ben Sulayem's FIA presidency of 'ruling with an iron fist' has had 'its advantages' to assert two key topics the Mercedes boss feels he has got right within Formula 1. The FIA president and Mercedes chief have clashed over how the governing body has overseen tighter restrictions over a 'swearing ban' and a push for an 11th F1 team since Ben Sulayem became president at the end of 2021, but it appears tensions have reduced in recent months. 'You can't deny that he's ruling with an iron fist,' Wolff told selected Austrian media during the Austrian GP weekend last month. 'He doesn't let anyone tell him what to do. That can have its advantages.' The most recent matter in the spotlight has been the FIA's 'swearing ban' which was criticised heavily upon introduction, until the governing body announced revisions to the rules in Appendix B of the International Sporting Code in April, which outlines restrictions on swearing. Fines have been reduced from €10,000 to €5000 and stewards can suspend penalties for first-time offenders, while exceptions were introduced for swearing in uncontrolled environments, such as over team radio. Wolff overall has supported the 'swearing ban' as he felt drivers in F1 needed to consider their status as role models to young drivers and fans. 'I think his stance on swearing is right,' Wolff said, referring to Ben Sulayem. 'Many of the drivers who scream on the radio don't speak English as their first language. If a French or Italian driver says 'go and fuck yourself' on the radio and thinks it's normal, it's probably because he's heard it that way since his karting days. But if you translate it literally into his native language, it can actually shock him. 'I think kids need to learn not to insult others on the radio. That engineer [on the radio to the driver] has a family at home who are very proud that their father or husband is working with a Formula 1 driver. 'If the driver lashes out at him like that, it's not good – and unfortunately, that already happens in junior categories.' Wolff speaks from personal experience, as his son Jack now races in karting, with drivers influenced by what happens in F1: 'The eight-, nine-, 10-year-olds talk like the pros. They're obviously their role models, I think it's good that the president is taking a strong stance on this.' The Mercedes boss added: 'You can debate where to draw the line between swearing and insulting. During a race, we're also a dumping ground for the drivers. They're going 300kph, wheel to wheel, physically and mentally on the edge, and then we tell them to be polite. But that's not the point. 'It's fine if they vent. What's not fine is when it turns into personal abuse. That's where a firm line is drawn.' The other topic Wolff previously hadn't seen eye-to-eye with the FIA president over was his push for Andretti to join the F1 grid as an 11th team, but his stance did soften once the project was tied to Cadillac's manufacturer backing, with the team set to join the championship in 2026.
