New Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has confirmed his ambition to bring Formula One back to South Africa.
The leader of the Patriotic Alliance (PA) said in a tweet that he has initiated discussions with key stakeholders, emphasising that his tenure would be a “failure” if he doesn’t succeed in bringing the sport back to Mzansi after what is already a 31-year absence.
Plenty of speculation
In response to a tweet by @martinaude, McKenzie revealed that the first meeting is scheduled for the end of August this year in Monaco.
@martinaude wrote: “@GaytonMcK as sports minister, can we try and get the the @F1 to finally come back to South Africa??”
To which Gayton McKenzie replied: “I have set up meetings with relevant people already, my term will be a failure if I don’t bring one of the biggest sporting tourist events to South Africa which is F1. Our first meeting is end of August in Monaco.”
There have been plenty of speculation in recent years regarding Formula One returning to South Africa – without anything transpiring.
South Africa is not on the 2024 Formula One calendar, nor will it feature on next season’s.
The last race at Kyalami was in March 1993
The 1993 South African Grand Prix was held at Kyalami on 14 March 1993.
It was the 33rd South African Grand Prix – and remains the most recent to have been staged on the African continent.
The race was the first of the 1993 F1 season and was contested over 72 laps and was won from pole position by French legend Alain Prost driving a Williams-Renault.