Sports, arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie on Wednesday announced a new Bid Steering Committee (BSC) for a Formula One race in SA.
In a media conference held at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in Johannesburg and attended by dignitaries including Gauteng’s MEC for finance and economic development Lebogang Maile and CEO of LSM Distributors and Kyalami racetrack owner Toby Venter, the minister outlined the plans and tasks of the BSC that’s chaired by the PA’s Bakang Lethoko.
The BSC consists of individuals from various sectors, including MultiChoice CEO Rendani Ramovha; senate member at FIA and chair at Motorsport SA, Anton Roux; the CEO and co-founder at Newzroom Afrika Thabile Ngwato, and a few others. McKenzie explained that the varied expertise of the steering committee would assist with drawing up the bid document and outline specifications and compliance, while identifying the best bids and promoters to bring the Grand Prix to SA.
SA last hosted a Grand Prix at Kyalami on March 14 1993. Toby Venter said upgrades to Kyalami as Grade A Formula One circuit were at 90% and the track would be fully licensed by the end of 2025.
On the bidders
The bid process is open to locals or to overseas promoters. Warren Scheckter, founder and CEO of SAGP and the son of former F1 driver Ian Scheckter and nephew of SA’s 1979 F1 world champion Jody Scheckter, established SAGP in 2015. There also exist two other bids: one for a race at Welkom’s Phakisa raceway and another consortium under the peculiar banner of “Wakanda City”.
Before MacKenzie’s announcement, Rwandan President Paul Kagame also announced his country’s bid for a Formula One race. The minister said he welcomed an additional African bid and that he supported that and any other African state’s wishes to host an F1 race.
The European continent has numerous race events in a calendar year, while countries such as Italy have the privilege of hosting two races in a year, in Monza and Imola. “Why can’t we have an SA and Rwandan Grands Prix?” asked the minister.
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