Get ready: F1’s return to South Africa could be a reality in 2023

Years of rumours and recent speculative reports pertaining to Formula 1 returning to South Africa has reportedly taken a massive step forwards.

Two months after comments supporting South Africa’s F1 reappearance from reigning champion Max Verstappen and seven-times champion Lewis Hamilton, Britain’s Sky Sport F1 and BBC F1 reported that a high level delegation, led by F1 CEO and President Stefano Domenicali, departed for South Africa directly after this past weekend race in Azerbaijan for talks on motorsport’s biggest showpiece returning in 2023.

Despite little else being known at present, what is an open secret is that the approval of Kyalami will take the F1 calendar to 24 races next year, the most of any season, and the first time all continents will be represented since F1 last visited Africa, and therefore South Africa, in 1993.

According to the British publications though, the approval of Kyalami could come at the cost of some of the championship’s staple and fabled venues, namely the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps and the Monaco Grand Prix.

In addition, the French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard, which has attract mostly negative comments since returning in 2017 at the loss of Magny-Cours in 2008, has also been tipped to make way for Kyalami should a deal be reached.

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Another uncertainty is the readiness of the China not featured since 2019, while a return to Sochi for the Russian Grand Prix seems equally unlikely as a result of the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

The uncertainties could consequently result in the 2023 calendar keeping the current 23 race format with Kyalami’s inclusion, though as mentioned, noting has yet been said or made official.

In a recent interview with The Citizen, motorcycle racing great, Dave Petersen, remarked that the go-ahead could come at a price of around R5 000 per ticket.

If so, it will put access well out of reach of most South Africans, however, a sell-out is almost guaranteed given the sport’s recent explosion in popularity driven by the controversial finish to last year’s championship between Hamilton and Verstappen.

Expect more news in the coming weeks and months.