Why Lewis Hamilton says he won’t leave F1 until it races in Africa
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton says he plans to stay in Formula 1 until the sport stages a grand prix on African soil, arguing that the continent’s absence from the calendar remains a major gap for a global championship.
Hamilton said he has been pushing for an African race “in the background” for the past six or seven years and does not want to retire without racing there.
“I don’t want to leave the sport without having a grand prix there, without getting to race there,” he said. “I’m chasing them, when is it going to be?”
Hamilton, who has described himself as “half-African,” said he feels pressure as potential dates are discussed. “They’re setting certain dates. I’m like, damn, I could be running out of time, so I’m going to be here for a while until that happens,” he said.
Despite his campaign, an African grand prix does not appear close to being added to the calendar. Hamilton said F1 bosses are “really trying,” but acknowledged no race is imminent.
In recent years, proposals have included Rwanda as a potential host, while talks to bring F1 back to South Africa, including a return to Kyalami near Johannesburg and a possible street race in Cape Town, have stalled. South Africa has since revived its bid to host a race, but no deal has been confirmed.
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