South African Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has reportedly turned to Red Bull and Heineken to raise the capital needed to bring Formula 1 back to the African continent by “fire or by force”.

Formula 1 last raced in Africa in 1993 when Alain Prost beat Ayrton Senna by 79 seconds to win at Kyalami, the title protagonists being two of only five drivers to officially finish the race.

South Africa could potentially return to the F1 grid in ‘2027’

That was the last of South Africa’s 23 official Formula 1 Grands Prix, 33 in total, as politics and socio-economic strife led to the race being cancelled.

However, under new Sports Minister McKenzie, South Africa is determined to return to motor racing’s biggest stage having held a Formula E race in 2023. A race that won ‘Race of the Year’ at the series’ end-of-season awards.

“The Race of the Year was the inaugural Cape Town E-Prix. Action, drama in the championship battle, and high-class racing – the vote of the public and jury was clear here,” said the organisers.

With the Formula E race said to have generated more than R1 billion in economic activity for the City of Cape Town, McKenzie is determined to bring Formula 1 back to South African shores – whether that be on the streets of Cape Town or a return to the historic Kyalami circuit.

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At the beginning of the year, he opened the bidding for a backer before earlier this week extending that deadline.

McKenzie said: “Hosting a Formula 1 Grand Prix would boost our economy, tourism and development while showcasing South Africa as a premier global sporting destination. This extension ensures bidders have the time to prepare exceptional proposals.

“The Ministry urges stakeholders to use this opportunity to support South Africa’s Formula 1 ambitions.”

According to a report on IOL, he’s now chasing ‘potential sponsors, such as Heineken and Red Bull among others, to help raise the capital needed to enter the bid’.

“It is clear that people want to invest in this,” insisted McKenzie. “We have also gotten some promising news that Holland is not coming back so we might be getting that space in 2027.”

McKenzie is reportedly seeking R920m to assure South Africa of a spot on the Formula 1 calendar, that today translates to £39,9m.

“I am saying to you,” he added, “that if I don’t bring Formula 1 to South Africa, then I have failed as a Minister of Sports.

“Formula 1 is coming by fire or by force.”

South Africa is reportedly up against Rwanda for a spot on the Formula 1 calendar with, McKenzie inviting South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to join him at the Chinese G1 Grand Prix to help raise funds for the hosting plans.

McKenzie though, believes there is space for more than one African races on the F1 calendar.

“It’s not a zero-sum game,” he said last year. “WWhy is it that when it comes to Africa, we are treated like we can only get one?”

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