Government Supported F1 Grand Prix Return to South Africa but Was Not Aware of Financial Guarantees

Government Supported F1 Grand Prix Return to South Africa but Was Not Aware of Financial Guarantees

Keba Mothoagae
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:12 PM
  • There appears to be a reason for South Africa's failed hopes of hosting a Formula One race in 2023
  • The South African government is reported to have been in favour of having an event return for the first time since 1993
  • However, it appears those in power did not test the public's desire for one, nor did they gauge its possible economic impact

The South African government was keen to host a Formula One Grand Prix race in 2023.

However, this went up in smoke after talks of one collapsed last month.

formula one, south africa, department of sports arts and culture, nathi mthethwa, f1, kyalami
The South African government was considering an F1 race for the country, but had other hangups. Image source: Getty Images.
Source: Getty Images

According to News24, a statement from the ministry of sports, arts, and culture read:

"The Department has not conducted any research and/or work with any Departments nor the private sector to measure the interest and identify the economic impact, especially market branding for the Republic."

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The country last hosted an F1 race back in 1993, which was held at the Kyalami Race Circuit. On that occasion, Alain Prost won the race driving for Williams-Renault.

Formula One great Sir Lewis Hamilton was racially abused by another legend Nelson Piquet

There can never be peace wherever British Formula One driver Sir Lewis Hamilton goes.

As reported by Sports Brief, the seven-time world champion was allegedly racially abused by another great in the form of the three-time former world champion Nelson Piquet.

Piquet was quoted as saying in a video doing the rounds:

"The neguinho [N-word] put the car in the wrong way and didn't let [the other driver swerve]. The neguinho [N-word] put the car in the wrong way on the corner, it's because you don't know the curve.
It's a very high curve, there is no way to pass two cars and there's no way you can put the car aside. "He did [Verstappen] dirty. His luck was that only the other one was gone.”

Hamilton later responded:

"I don't know why we are continuing to give these older voices a platform. They're speaking upon our sport and we're looking to go somewhere completely different."
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Keba Mothoagae
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