Kenya on the radar as Lewis Hamilton pushes for Formula 1 race in Africa
Reading Time: 3min | Thu. 05.03.26. | 16:39
The British driver reflected on Africa’s continued absence from the global calendar of the Formula One World Championship despite the sport already staging races across several other continents
Despite still not possessing a world-class motor racing circuit, Kenya may one day host a Grand Prix if seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton sees his long-held dream come true.
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Hamilton has revealed that he hopes to see a Grand Prix hosted in Africa before he retires, naming Kenya among the countries he has visited and admired during his travels across the continent.
The British driver reflected on Africa’s continued absence from the global calendar of the Formula One World Championship despite the sport already staging races across several other continents.
Hamilton said he has spent the past six to seven years working behind the scenes to push for the return of Formula 1 to Africa, engaging stakeholders and decision-makers in discussions aimed at accelerating plans for a race on the continent.
“I've been to 10 countries now in Africa, there's still so much more for me to see. For the past six years, I think, maybe seven, I've been fighting in the background to get a Grand Prix.
So, sitting with the stakeholders and asking them the question why are we not in Africa,” Hamilton said.
The 40-year-old noted that Africa’s absence from the Formula 1 calendar remains puzzling, particularly given the rapid growth of the sport’s fan base across the continent.
Recent reports show that Formula 1’s following in Africa is expanding quickly, with Nairobi emerging as one of the key hubs for this growth. Since 2021, organised watch parties in the Kenyan capital, such as the Paddock Experience, have reportedly attracted up to 1,400 fans per race.
Female viewership is also on the rise across Africa, especially in Kenya and Ghana, where fans are increasingly engaging with the sport’s technical aspects, digital platforms and social scenes surrounding race weekends.
Sir Lewis Hamilton, speaking at the F1 2026 Australian Grand Prix press conference, opened up about his African heritage and called for continental unity.
— PARROT REPORT 🦜 (@PARROTREPORT) March 5, 2026
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Hamilton revealed that he was particularly impressed by Kenya during a visit in August 2022, although he admitted the country may not yet have the infrastructure required to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix.
“I loved Kenya. I don't think we're going to have a Grand Prix in Kenya, but Rwanda particularly was spectacular, and somewhere I felt like I could live,” he said.
He added that other African nations, such as South Africa, could also provide viable venues for a Grand Prix if the necessary investments and preparations are made.
Hamilton, who currently races for Scuderia Ferrari after leaving Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team in 2025, said bringing Formula 1 to Africa would hold deep personal meaning for him.
The British driver explained that his heritage connects him to several African nations, including Senegal, Benin, Nigeria and Togo, which he has been exploring in recent years.
He believes hosting a race on the continent would celebrate Africa’s culture, beauty and potential while allowing local fans to experience the excitement of Formula 1 firsthand.
Hamilton remains one of the most successful drivers in the sport’s history, with seven world titles won in 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
He also holds records including 105 race victories, 104 pole positions and 202 podium finishes, and made history as Formula One’s first Black world champion before being knighted in 2021 for his achievements.