Cape Town F1 Grand Prix proposal aims to build on World Cup legacy

With the South African F1 Bid Steering Committee announcing that a total of three bids were received for the country to host a Formula One (F1) Grand Prix, the race between Cape Town and Kyalami is hitting high revs.

Organisers of the Cape Town Grand Prix revealed the latest changes to their street race proposal last month.

The Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture confirmed last month that three bids were received by the 18 March 2025 deadline.

Bid evaluation

The steering committee chairperson, Bakang Lethoko, said they will now commence evaluating and confirming the bids’ compliance with the criteria set out in the Request for Expression of Interest document issued for the process.

Lethoko said the committee is optimistic that the received bids will provide a glimpse into the future possibility of an F1 Grand Prix on African soil and South Africa, in particular.

“As previously stated, we intend to evaluate the bids and conclude this phase of the process by the end of April 2025.”

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F1 in SA

“Thereafter, the committee will provide guidance to qualifying bidders on the process to unfold under Phase 2, wherein detailed proposals will be required. These proposals will have to comply with F1 requirements and meet our own national imperatives,” Lethoko.

South Africa is expected to host an F1 race as early as 2027 or 2028.

Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie stated that if the bid is successful, the aim is to be part of the 2027 F1 programme.

“Realistically, 2027 is what we’re looking at, but because I’m a serial optimist, I think we might hear something as early as 2026. But don’t hold me to it; I’m just being myself. 2027 is the goal.”

With the Dutch Grand Prix falling off the F1 calendar after 2026, McKenzie could not confirm when asked by The Citizen whether South Africa may take that spot.

The sports minister revealed that hosting an F1 race could require about R2 billion.

Cape Town

The sporting spectacle’s two main contenders are a return of F1 to a refurbished Kyalami, which last hosted it in 1993, and a proposed street race around Cape Town’s waterfront.

Cape Town’s bid is hoping the central, urban location of its Tilke-designed 5.7km circuit, snaking around the Green Point harbour and utilising the facilities around the DHL Stadium built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, will help it get across the line.

“The latest design has all the bells and whistles,” Cape Town GP CEO Igshaan Amlay told Motorsport.com.

“It’s partly on the waterfront, and it also uses the facilities that have been used for the football World Cup.

“We’re up against Kyalami, which has a rich Formula 1 history, so it’s a street race versus a purpose-built circuit. We’ll be waiting to see what the decision will be. Here, we could easily accommodate 250,000 people, so it makes it more accessible to more people.”

Kyalami

The Kyalami Grand Prix circuit in Midrand, north of Johannesburg, is deemed 90% ready and the frontrunner to host an F1 race.

Kyalami took proactive steps by engaging the services of Apex Circuit Design  (Apex) to prepare a roadmap for FIA Grade 1 accreditation, a requirement to host a modern Formula 1 event in October last year.

Kyalami circuit owner Tobie Venter and his management team committed to R177 million worth of improvements, including track upgrades, to bring the venue into FIA Grade 1 territory.

Since 1961, when an F1 race was first hosted at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, generations of spectators have flocked to the iconic circuit to cheer on icons of the sport, including Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell and Gerhard Burger.

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