F1: Former Premier League striker leads Nigeria’s bid to host Formula 1 Grand Prix in Abuja
Nigeria joins race to host F1 Grand Prix in Africa
Formula 1 is one of the biggest and most expensive sports in the world, yet despite its global appeal, F1 does not travel worldwide, with Africa being the exception. The Hungarian Grand Prix is on deck this weekend, so be sure to check out our experts’ Formula 1 predictions for all the key stats.
Indeed, the last time that an F1 Grand Prix was hosted in Africa was way back in 1993 - the South African Grand Prix at the Kyalami Circuit just outside of Johannesburg, before financial and logistical issues halted its long-term continuation.
However, calls for the sport to return to the continent have gotten louder in recent years, with South Africa having already placed a bid to host the event once again, while Morocco and Rwanda have also come forward with intentions to bid.
Nigeria has now joined that list, becoming the latest nation to place a bid for hosting rights. The nation has partnered with Opus Race Promotions to commence plans for a brand new circuit in Abuja, along with hotels and a motorsport museum.
The plans are being spearheaded by Opus Race Promotions’ CEO Marvin Sordell, who played in the Premier League with Bolton Wanderers, while also having represented Burnley, Watford, Charlton Athletic and Northampton.
It is understood that F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali has been invited to visit Nigeria to view the project, and reports from several international news outlets suggest that the nation’s bid has received “early support.”
F1 could be a massive boost to the Nigerian economy
The announcement of Nigeria's bid to host an F1 Grand Prix was made by the Head of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, who summed up the move perfectly by explaining that it was a catalyst for development across several parts of the nation's economy. He said:
“This is not only about bringing Formula 1 to Nigeria. It’s about tourism, infrastructure, jobs, youth involvement, and economic growth. It’s a national project that touches every sector. We expect it to create thousands of jobs and attract investment across the hospitality, transport, and infrastructure sectors.”
Seven-time Formula 1 Driver’s Championship winner, Lewis Hamilton, has also been a long-time supporter of F1 returning to Africa, and just last year went on record saying: "We can't be adding races in other locations and continuing to ignore Africa, which the rest of the world just takes from. No one gives anything to Africa.”
As it stands, no official date has been set for a decision to be made, and Abuja will face stiff competition from the likes of South Africa and Morocco. However, it does increase the chance that African motorsport fans could be getting closer to seeing Formula 1 return to their shores in the coming years.
