Gayton McKenzie working to bring Formula One racing back to SA

Sports minister Gayton McKenzie is determined to 'land F1 in South Africa'.
Sports minister Gayton McKenzie is determined to 'land F1 in South Africa'.
Image: Gallo Images

Minister of sport, arts and culture Gayton McKenzie is the latest to call for the return of Formula One to South Africa. He was recently captured in a video telling content creator Lallies & Motorsport that Cape Town is getting a new FIA-approved racetrack in line with his confidence that he is getting the country ready to host a race.

In a statement issued by Motorsport SA, the organisation’s CEO, Vic Maharaj, says: “MSA is aware the ministry has engaged in discussions with the F1 management team and is committed to bringing a Formula One event to the country.

“Motorsport SA is excited and ready to support the ministry and will be fully prepared to offer its assistance once officially mandated,” the statement said, though MSA didn't revert to questions regarding the purported new racetrack mentioned by McKenzie, its location and other details.

Adding muscle to the calls for “Africa to have a turn” in the past week was former Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton. He told a UK sports channel, “We can’t be adding races in other locations and continuing to ignore Africa.”

His Formula One rival and reigning champion Max Verstappen, whose Red Bull Formula One team held a showcase on Sandton streets this past weekend with David Coulthard at the wheel, has in the past voiced his wish for a race on African soil.

The saga of South Africa hosting a race has been brewing over the years, with a number of bids failing to secure the spectacle. Warren Scheckter, founder and CEO of South African GP (SAGP), believes an F1 race at Kyalami is possible with combined corporate and taxpayer sponsorship.

The son of former F1 driver Ian Scheckter and nephew of South Africa’s 1979 F1 world champion Jody Scheckter established SAGP in 2015 with the late former Eskom chair and businessman Jabu Mabuza in the hopes of bringing F1 to South Africa. The bid was unsuccessful.

“Funding a local F1 race has always been a sticking point,” said Scheckter at the time.

"[What with] the hosting fee demanded by organisers proving too expensive to attract corporate sponsorship, and the government unwilling to support what was seen as a 'white, elitist' sport.”

Earlier in the week McKenzie gave a perspective when he said, “The reason previous bids failed was because there were too many cooks in the kitchen. I personally asked the F1 Group to speak only with the ministry and Motorsport SA.

“There are many bids floating around, from people who think that political connectivity lands you F1. But they are bids with zero money. We are bringing F1, not a comedy show,” added McKenzie.

Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali visited South Africa in 2022 to discuss hosting a race in 2023, making a stop at the Kyalami racetrack in Midrand.

Kyalami, which last hosted a Formula One race in 1993, is the only local track with facilities to host a modern F1, race thanks to its current FIA Grade Two licence.

A track needs FIA Grade One certification to host a Grand Prix, and a large sum of money to cover the hosting fee payable to Liberty Media — owners of the Formula One franchise. 

McKenzie and Motorsport SA are yet to produce a full report but the minister said: “I am the head chef, together with Motorsport SA, we will soon announce a local organising committee consisting of all the role players who will make sure we successfully land F1 in SA.” 

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