F1 boss, Stefano Domenicali admits that the sport is targeting a return to Africa, claiming that neither Kyalami or indeed South Africa is the only option.

When the World Motor Sport Council recently confirmed the record schedule for 2023, many were disappointed to see that South Africa hadn't made the final cut despite widespread speculation that a deal was close to being done.

Seemingly 'pencilled in' for 2024, F1 is aware that without a race on the African continent it can hardly be called a world championship, and speaking recently, F1 CEO, Domenicali admitted that taking the sport back is a clear target.

"We need to make sure when we do something new, that it has to be with the right partners and be stable fundamentals to stay longer," he told Sky Sports.

"It would be wrong to go there one year and then disappear if the conditions aren't done properly," he admitted.

"It's a matter of having the right financial assets, but also having the site ready for the weekend that we want to host in that place.

"The only thing that I can say that after the first contact with Kyalami is that there are other places in Africa that are interested on Formula One," he added. "That's a very clear target.

"Africa will come back and hopefully very soon on our calendar."

Following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Domenicali headed to South Africa to continue the negotiations that it was hoped would see F1 return there for the first time since 1993. The country's absence from the '23 calendar suggests those negotiations were not fruitful.

One driver keen to see F1 in Africa is seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton, who, when asked in 2020 where he would most like F1 to race, was in no doubt. "Easy," he replied, "Africa. It's such an important place to go back to.

"At the moment Formula 1 goes to countries and doesn't really leave much behind if anything," he added. "Formula 1 has to shift into being a sport that does go to places and leaves behind something that can really help the communities and I think firstly bringing the attention back to Africa and highlighting the beautiful place it is, I think that's the most important place that we have to go to.

"It needs to be held where it's not all about money," he said, "it's about people, and in business that's not always the case, so that's something I'm pushing for."

While Africa goes without, the US will host three races next season.

"The signals that we are receiving are incredible," said Domenicali "A couple of years ago we were thinking do we need to keep fighting to stay there and invest, but now there is an incredible sign of boom. It's impressive.

"For sure it is a market where a lot of resources will be dedicated, but we need to respect a lot of the regions around the world and there is a lot of attention everywhere."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by kenji, 20/10/2022 1:17

"There is only one reason that Hamilton wants a race in Africa, and it has nothing to do with F1 being an 'all continent' series. Since his African epiphany he sees himself as bigger even than Shaka...or even the modern day equivalent! Don't be fooled by the wokie chatter."

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2. Posted by elsiebc, 18/10/2022 16:46

"@ancient70! Lewis could cover the hosting fee. It's not about money, it's about people, after all.
"

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3. Posted by ancient70!, 18/10/2022 8:53

"Sorry, the end should read “second hand market”"

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4. Posted by ancient70!, 18/10/2022 8:51

"Ok, so here we go again! Originally the. SA grand prix fell of the calendar due to a lack of money, and I think also due to anti apartheid pressure. New owners of the circuit sold off half the land, and half the old circuit for a techno park development. A new circuit was then built with only the stretch from jukskei to the esses remaining of the old circuit. The new track was pretty mickey mouse in my opinion. There was enough money to hold the GP in 92 and 93, before the holding company went bust. The place went totally derelict until Porsche SA bought and renovated it. And now we again haven’t got the money to host a GP! To put it in perspective, the Rand currently stands at R21 to the $. So in Rand terms the hosting fee is astronomical! As has been noted below the level of corruption and crime rate is pretty depressing. It would also be interesting to see how all the desirable items such as laptops, computers and display screens will be prevented from suddenly appearing on the sechond "

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5. Posted by Max Noble, 13/10/2022 12:07

"@Editor - The Southern PitPass cats just did a face in paw plant on that one… OMG… Imagine how cold it will be if Vlad the Impailer invites us all to a Nuclear Winter at his place… "

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6. Posted by Editor, 13/10/2022 12:04

"@ All of us

Didn't have the guts to post on Twitter along with an "awkward" tag, but I see the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi met with Vladimir Putin this week, and the Russian premier even lent him his coat due to the cold."

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7. Posted by Max Noble, 13/10/2022 11:50

"@All of us - now is a real good time, given PitPass has clearly established itself as a music, and film leader above all other F1 related sites, to mention District 9. A remarkable film by Neill Blomkamp, with Peter Jackson (one ring to rule them all… etc…) as a producer.

If you’ve not watched it I commend it to you. A brilliant exploration of apartheid via an alien space ship. It explores what it means to be “human” and what it means to have compassion.

…so what would a return to the continent of the “Blood Diamond” mean for F1?

As the House of Saudi buys all it that moves in sport, what does this mean for any of us?

Circus Maximus, Colosseum. We have evolved not at all. Someone throw me the deep fried Wolves ears!… "

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8. Posted by Max Noble, 13/10/2022 11:36

"@spindoctor - so very much! At what point do we die of embarrassment at the riches of our western lives…? Vanity… and then some… yet I love this sport… a unique, manic, insane celebration of life and titanic struggle that somehow is worth the fight…"

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9. Posted by Spindoctor, 12/10/2022 13:11

"@Max Noble
Quite so. For many of us fortunate few in the World with plenty to eat, decent housing & sufficient spare income & leisure to devote any time at all to frivolities like F1, life is mind-bogglingly paradoxical. "

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10. Posted by Spindoctor, 12/10/2022 12:44

"@Max Noble & Kenji

"Motorua" should indeed provide a suitably poisonous, sulphurous atmosphere for modern F1"

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11. Posted by Max Noble, 12/10/2022 12:43

"@spindoctor - Ummm… you just typed the untypeable… F1 simply makes no sense when bombs fall in mainland Europe, and 80% of Africa exist on less than $500 US a year… Lewis is personally worth more than the smallest African nations… If Bono, Princess Diana, Bill Gates, and the UN cannot fix it, what hope for us making a difference? (Queue Neville Shute “On the Beach”…)… while The Jam play “That’s Entertainment “…"

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12. Posted by Max Noble, 12/10/2022 12:34

"@Kenji - Dang! So many LOL moments in the same week! I need time off!"

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13. Posted by kenji, 12/10/2022 12:01

"@ Max Noble yes, great idea and it could be held at 'Motorua'.... [ sorry about that ]"

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14. Posted by Spindoctor, 12/10/2022 11:54

"Sentimentally I'd like F1 to go back to Africa.
Unfortunately, much of post-colonial Africa has become impoverished, riddled with corruption & severely damaged by Climate change & Resource Wars. Not sure it would do much good if a bunch of predominantly white Europeans parachute into the continent solely to run a race supporting Luxury Brands to which 95% of populations can hardly even aspire to, then up sticks to another venue. Hamilton's implication that it could do more is, however, worth exploring.

Assuming we could justify the whole thing morally, pragmatically I can't see where the money would come from to produce\upgrade circuit(s) to meet appropriate safety standards.

In general, given the hugely serious problems facing the entire World, I'm getting lots of "Nero fiddling while Rome burns" type vibes from suggestions like this. Bread & Circuses only work until the bread runs out....."

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15. Posted by Max Noble, 12/10/2022 10:57

"Given Baku is in Europe, we could hold the African GP in New Zealand! Great outcome for one and all…
"

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F1's return to Africa a clear target, insists Domenicali

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