‘I’ve got to stay’ – Lewis Hamilton comments resurface after African GP announcement
Lewis Hamilton faces the media at the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix
Formula 1 has announced that the African Grand Prix in Rwanda will join the calendar in the early 2030s.
The news comes less than three years after Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton, then competing for Mercedes, vowed to postpone his retirement from F1 until the sport returned to the African continent.
Lewis Hamilton on F1 in Africa: ‘I’ve got to stay until that race’
After years of speculation, Formula 1 confirmed on Tuesday that it will race in Africa for the first time since 1993.
The addition of the African Grand Prix will see F1 race on every continent around the globe.
A new purpose-built circuit will be constructed near Bugesera in Rwanda for the African Grand Prix, which will make its debut in the early part of the next decade.
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It remains to be seen whether Hamilton, who will turn 42 next January, will still be on the grid to compete in the first race in Rwanda.
Hamilton will turn 45 – the same age Fernando Alonso, the oldest driver on the current grid, is in 2026 – ahead of the 2030 season, the earliest possible point Africa could join the calendar.
While still driving for Mercedes in December 2023, Hamilton vowed to delay his retirement from F1 so he could have the chance to race in Africa.
The former South African Grand Prix venue at Kyalami was widely regarded as Africa’s most likely route back on to the calendar at that stage.
Speaking at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he said: “I’m working in the background to get South Africa on the race [calendar].
“That’s such a dream for me. I’ve got to stay until they get that race.”
A year later, Hamilton revealed that Formula 1 president and chief executive Stefano Domenicali had “promised” to deliver a race in Africa before the end of his F1 career.
He told PlanetF1.com and other media outlets at that year’s Las Vegas Grand Prix: “I’ve been speaking to him so much about getting the race in Africa.
“He’s really the one that’s promised that he’s going to make sure we get this done before I leave here, so that’s important.”
In a statement issued to PlanetF1.com confirming the African Grand Prix on Tuesday, Domenicali hailed the Rwanda-based race as a significant moment.
He said: “Today is a landmark moment for Formula 1.
“With Rwanda joining the calendar from the next decade, our sport will race in every inhabited continent, bringing the world championship closer than ever to fans around the globe.
“Africa has always been part of Formula 1’s future and from the beginning we were determined to return in the right way, with the right partner, a long-term commitment and a clear vision for creating meaningful impact.
“I would like to thank His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, the Government of Rwanda, the Rwanda Development Board, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem and everyone whose dedication and collaboration have made this possible.
“This is about much more than hosting a grand prix.
“Together, we can create lasting economic and social benefits through tourism, investment, skills development and local business growth, ensuring the positive impact of this event is felt for generations.
“For our fans, this is an especially exciting moment. Africa is home to more than 100 million Formula 1 fans, and that number continues to grow rapidly.
“We are bringing the excitement, energy and drama of Formula 1 closer to millions of people who have waited a long time to see our sport return to the continent, and we look forward to writing an exciting new chapter together.”
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