Disappointed you didn’t see the South African GP on the 2023 calendar? You’re not alone.
But what is stopping Formula 1 going to Africa? And why were we teased with the idea that the South African GP would be on the 2023 calendar, only to see Las Vegas instead?
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The 30 Year Return Just Got Longer
Formula 1 has been open in its great ambitions to return to Africa after a 30 year absence from the calendar. But will we be kept waiting for much longer?
Since Liberty Media took control of Formula 1 in 2017, we have known that South Africa was on the cards, a move fully supported by seven time world champion, Lewis Hamilton.
The most likely venue for the South African GP is Kyalami, a circuit that has hosted 20 rounds of the F1 World Championship. But was suspended due to the nation’s policy of apartheid and again in 1993 due to financial struggles.
The Guy From Kyalami
According to 1979 world champion, Jody Scheckter the South African GP fell through simply because of greed.
Scheckter told Total Motorsport what he claims to have transpired:
“It was that close. The guy from Kyalami went from 500,000 to 2 million, and he wanted to take the whole thing over.”
It’s funny really. That out of all the big parties involved, it was the local promoter that caused the deal to go up in smoke.
Not F1, the FIA, Motorsport South Africa (MSA), the national government, local government or even the venue provider. It was simply the guy from Kyalami.
The local promoter, the SA Grand Prix Association is led by Warren Scheckter (Jody’s nephew). And it is quite clear that he is the real loser here. Talk about family drama!
It really did all come down to one man, one man who wanted a bit too much cash in his pocket.
Keep Your Fingers Crossed
For my fellow South African’s, lets keep everything crossed for 2024!
Not only for the racing but for the many benefits hosting an F1 race will have for the country.
It’s no secret that Formula 1 is expensive. But let’s not forget the whopping 60% of fans at a race weekend, who come from an entirely different country aka South Africa could reap the rewards from increased tourism.
But there’s only so many spots in the Formula 1 calendar. If we are to see a South African GP in 2024, it may take a miracle, because it would require finding financial backers from scratch. And that’s not even considering the other countries eagerly awaiting that coveted spot on the calendar.
It’s not just driver seats that are a hot commodity in Formula 1 it’s race locations too!
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