Everything Trackside

There have been reports emerging in recent days that the South African GP is set to make a return to the F1 calendar for the first time since 1993.

Talks are at an advanced stage and FIA president Stefano Domenicali will “make a whistle-stop tour” of the nation next week.

Organisers will hope to get the race on the calendar for 2023 with only minor upgrades needing to be made before the circuit is one again F1-worthy.

This is a positive move for the FIA who in recent years have favoured super-rich nations such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar to host races with Las Vegas on the horizon.

The aim of bringing races to new nations should be to introduce the sport to emerging markets and new audiences from all backgrounds.

We want to see that young South African boy or girl hearing the roars of these technological masterpieces in the hope that it inspires them to pursue a career in motorsport – whether that’s as a driver, engineer or even the catering if that’s your passion.

We always hear from the current crop of drivers about their first race experience and how it planted a seed that still hasn’t gone away. While the inaugural Miami GP event was a success it makes me wince slightly seeing fake marinas and Martin Brundle being snubbed by celebrities who are simply their for the clout.

Now Kyalami may signal a return to good values but that by no means guarantees it’s success. We have seen India and Korea come and go in years gone by – I thought both would be hugely successful.

Trying to tap into these markets is tough and the fact that there hasn’t been a South African since Jody Scheckter competed in 1980 suggests their isn’t a huge appetite at grass roots level for the sport.

There is also the question about who will actually be attending this Grand Prix and how much tickets will cost.

South Africa’s economy is one of the most advanced in the continent but that doesn’t mean poverty and isn’t a factor. Far from it in fact.

Makeshift housing is common place in its capital Cape Town while crime rates are still high.

If this event is going to target the wealthiest Africans, F1 will find itself isolated and turning its nose up to the regular people in these nations. Many feel this was the case in Miami where the glamour and luxury of the race was soured by the poverty that exists in the city.

There is also the factor of race. F1 still lags massively behind in its diversity statistics no matter how much the dinosaurs try to fight it. Lewis Hamilton remains the only person with any significant African or Caribbean heritage.

Despite around 80% of South Africa’s population being black the integration following the end of apartheid has been a slow process with many white communities still holding a lot of wealth.

As a result, it tends to be white South Africans who will partake in the most glamorous events held in the country.

It will be heart-warming to see a blend of all South Africans enjoying the spectacle that is F1 with a sense of unity that reminds us of the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

If F1 can attract a wide variety of people to the race there’s every chance it will succeed and grow with each passing year.

What does this mean for Europe?

Stefano Domenicali has stressed that the sports expansion will not harm its traditional European stables.

Unfortunately, I think the Italian has his rose tinted spectacles on, which is a real shame for the sport.

There have been some great additions to the calendar in recent times but it’s hard to replace the thrill of Eau Rouge or even the nail-biting Q3 laps we see at Monaco.

Spa-Franchorchamps is under threat while the Monaco GP is in need of a serious makeover with the wider new-era of F1 cars.

It will be tough to accommodate all of these tracks needs. The consensus seems to be that it is easier to build circuits in new locations, rather than fix the old problems that remain with the heritage tracks.

F1 needs to strike a balance between the two. South Africa has the power to appeal to a new era of F1 fans while providing nostalgic memories of classic races in decades gone by.

Let’s hope the FIA does it justice.