Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he is determined to get the South African Grand Prix back on the F1 calendar before he retires.
The seven-time world champion, who has extended his contract with Mercedes until 2025, has faced challenges in recent seasons, securing his last race win in Jeddah in 2021.
However, the 38-year-old’s primary objective seems to be bringing Formula 1 back to the Kyalami Circuit.
The 2.8-mile track, which last saw a Grand Prix in 1993, witnessed Alain Prost’s victory on his way to his fourth and final world championship. Since then, the country, and indeed the entire African continent, has been absent from the Formula 1 calendar.
Hamilton expressed his fervent desire for the return of Formula 1 to South Africa, deeming it a dream.
According to The Mirror, he shared his aspiration with fans in the fanzone before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, stating, “I’m working in the background to get South Africa on the race.
That’s like such a dream for me. I’ve got to stay until they get that race.”
This wish aligns with Hamilton’s ongoing efforts to broaden the sport’s fanbase and is not a new sentiment from the British racing icon.
Back in 2015, Hamilton expressed his strong desire for Formula 1 to be in South Africa, telling the BBC, “I would love for it to be in South Africa.
They are great sporting fans and are just petrolheads who love cars. I would love to go there; it would be absolutely insane. There is a huge following there, and it is one of the most important Grand Prix we need to get on the calendar.”
He emphasized the significance of his presence in the sport for black South Africans, stating, “This is the first time that black South Africans have had someone to relate to in this sport. I feel incredibly privileged to be at the front of that.”
While Kyalami has hosted a Grand Prix 21 times and discussions about its potential return have occurred, no deal has been finalized.
In 2023, the FIA mentioned that a return to South Africa wouldn’t happen soon due to the government’s stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
