The four-time world champion has addressed the controversy surrounding Rwanda’s Grand Prix deal, as the country prepares for Formula 1’s return to the continent after more than three decades.
Max Verstappen is not ruling out racing in Rwanda. But the four-time Formula 1 world champion is not making promises about it either.
Speaking to Dutch journalists after qualifying for the United States Grand Prix in Austin on October 25, Verstappen was asked about the controversy surrounding Rwanda’s planned Grand Prix, including concerns over the country’s political situation and regional tensions with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
His response was brief: such concerns, he argued, could be raised about many countries around the world.
Asked about the possibility of competing in Rwanda, the Red Bull driver remained noncommittal. He said they would see when the time came, adding that he had visited the country before and considered it a nice place.
The comments put one of Formula 1’s biggest names into a conversation that will follow Rwanda as it prepares to host the sport in the early 2030s. They do not amount to an unconditional endorsement of the project, but they reflect a willingness to leave the question of racing there open.
A return that has taken more than 30 years
On October 13, Formula 1 announced a 10-year agreement to bring the championship back to Africa, with Rwanda set to host the Formula 1 African Grand Prix.
The sport last raced on the continent in 1993, when South Africa hosted the Grand Prix at Kyalami. Since then, Africa has remained absent from a championship that has expanded across Europe, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East.
Rwanda’s proposed circuit will be built in Bugesera, around 40 kilometres south of Kigali and near the new Kigali International Airport. The project is part of a wider ambition to attract international events, investment and tourism.
The inaugural race is expected in the early 2030s, although the precise date and further development milestones are yet to be announced.
Verstappen is already familiar with Rwanda. He visited Kigali in December 2024 for the FIA Awards ceremony, where he received his fourth consecutive drivers’ world championship trophy. Before the Grand Prix agreement was announced, he had also expressed enthusiasm about the possibility of Formula 1 returning to Africa.
The opportunity comes with scrutiny
Rwanda’s agreement is a significant development for African motorsport. But securing a place on the calendar is only the beginning.
The country faces questions over human rights and its role in the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Human rights organizations have documented allegations of repression and abuses, while Rwanda has faced international accusations over its support for M23 rebels. The Rwandan government has disputed aspects of the allegations against it.
These issues form part of the wider debate surrounding the Grand Prix, alongside questions about the project’s costs, infrastructure and the economic benefits it could deliver.
Verstappen’s observation that similar concerns can be raised about other countries does not resolve those questions. Nor does the arrival of Formula 1 make them irrelevant.
The challenge for Rwanda will be to demonstrate that the event can deliver lasting value, including local employment, business opportunities, tourism and pathways for African talent into motorsport.
What does this mean for Africa?
Formula 1’s return matters because the continent has spent decades outside a championship watched and followed by audiences across the world.
The question now is not simply whether Rwanda can stage a successful race. It is whether the event can help create a stronger African presence in a sport whose highest levels remain difficult to access for many young people on the continent.
That means looking beyond the race weekend to opportunities in engineering, mechanics, logistics, broadcasting, sponsorship and driver development. It also means asking how much of the investment and expertise will remain in Africa after the cars leave the circuit.
Verstappen has left open the possibility of racing in Rwanda. The larger story is that Formula 1 has committed to returning to Africa, with Rwanda chosen to lead that return.
The milestone is real. So is the work required to turn it into a lasting continental opportunity.
For Africa, the finish line should not be hosting a Grand Prix. It should be building a future in the sport.
