South Africa extends deadline for F1 host bids

The South African authorities has prolonged the deadline to submit host bids for a System 1 grand prix within the nation.

After a bid to revive the South African race at Kyalami fell by in 2023, the federal government continued efforts to finish the 32-year hiatus of grand prix racing within the African nation.

As beforehand reported, the nation’s ministry of sport, arts and tradition commissioned a so-called Bid Steering Committee to ask bids from potential promoters and host organisers for the race.

Kyalami, which final hosted the race in 1993, is one frontrunner, pending ongoing work to raise the circuit to the required FIA Grade 1 customary.

One other bid comes from the Cape City Grand Prix SA, which intends to host a race on a 5.7km road circuit round Cape City’s waterfront and the DHL Stadium, the identical space that hosted a one-off System E race in 2023. A purpose-built circuit on the town outskirts is another choice.

The unique bid request was printed on 17 January with a deadline of 31 January, however the ministry has now prolonged that deadline to 18 March to present hopeful bidders extra time to place collectively and file an expression of curiosity.

“The Ministry of Sport, Arts and Tradition, in collaboration with the Bid Steering Committee (BSC), has prolonged the submission deadline for the Request for Expression of Curiosity (RFEOI) for South Africa’s System 1 Grand Prix bid to 18 March 2025,” the ministry mentioned.

“This extension goals to present stakeholders extra time to submit complete, well-structured proposals in keeping with RFEOI [Request for Expression of Interest] necessities. The Ministry is dedicated to a clear and aggressive course of to safe this prestigious motorsport occasion.

“The Ministry urges stakeholders to make use of this chance to assist South Africa’s System 1 ambitions.”

The top of January was not the one formidable deadline talked about within the 37-page request, with the doc referring to a return of the race by 2026 for 2027.

F1’s 2026 calendar is already full, with Mexico anticipating to beat Imola to the final out there slot. Internet hosting a race by 2027 will equally be an aggressive goal.

Nonetheless, sports activities minister Gayton McKenzie continued his vocal marketing campaign to convey F1 again, having met with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali for exploratory talks in Baku final yr, which prompted him to say the race “goes to occur”.

McKenzie has now mentioned: “Internet hosting a System 1 Grand Prix would increase our financial system, tourism and growth whereas showcasing South Africa as a premier world sporting vacation spot. This extension ensures bidders have the time to organize distinctive proposals.”

Different long-term candidates for a race embrace Rwanda, which formally launched its bid to host a race in its capital Kigali on a circuit at present being designed by Alexander Wurz. F1 can be eager on increasing into Asia, with Thailand and South Korea nonetheless thought-about probably the most severe contenders.