Formula 1 race could return to Africa as Nigeria unveils $500 million Abuja bid — see full list of current F1 host cities and circuits

• Nigeria is planning a $500 million Formula 1 Grand Prix bid to host a race in Abuja.

• The move could bring F1 back to Africa for the first time since 1993, but it faces competition from other countries.

• The article includes the full list of current Formula 1 host cities and circuits worldwide.

Formula 1 hasn't raced in Africa since Alain Prost won the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami in 1993. 

For over thirty years, the sport has left a massive gap in its otherwise global calendar.

Nigeria wants to change that. Backed by the National Sports Commission and Opus Race Promotions, plans are underway for a proposed bid to bring a Grand Prix to the capital city of Abuja.

The vision centres around a $500 million master plan to build a brand-new, world-class motorsport hub in Abuja.

To host a Formula 1 race, a track must meet strict FIA Grade 1 safety and design standards. 

The proposed complex aims to meet these requirements by building an entire sports tourism ecosystem, including:

• An FIA-compliant racing circuit.

• A modern karting track to help develop young, local racing talent.

• A motorsport innovation and engineering hub.

• Luxury hotels, restaurants, and a racing museum.

To signal its ambitions, the project's promoters have extended formal invitations to Formula 1 leadership; seven-time world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton (a long-time advocate for an African race); and Tilke Engineers & Architects, the firm behind famous F1 tracks like Austin, Baku, and Singapore.

The project fits into President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s initiative to grow Nigeria's sports economy, drive foreign investment, and boost tourism. 

Promoters are pitching Abuja as a commercial goldmine, using Nigeria's position as one of the continent's largest economies to attract the sport.

However, Nigeria isn't the only country trying to bring F1 back to Africa. The bid faces competition from other nations looking to end the 30-year drought:

• Rwanda: Pushing a major sports-tourism strategy and holding direct talks with F1 executives.

• Morocco: Exploring a massive infrastructure development in northern Tangier.

• South Africa: Looking at ways to upgrade Kyalami or host a street race in its major coastal cities.

If F1 accepts Abuja's proposal, it will mark a historic shift, putting West Africa at the centre of the motorsport world.

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While Formula 1 considers new destinations like Abuja, the current calendar features a packed 24-race world tour. 

Here is the full list of host cities, countries, and circuits currently on the schedule:

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