Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton linked Rwanda’s planned Grand Prix to wider calls for freedom and peace, as the proposal to bring the series back to Africa drew human-rights criticism.
At a news conference before Sunday’s U.S. Grand Prix, Hamilton said he hoped a race in Africa would encourage people to learn about the continent’s history and present-day conditions. “I think we need to make sure we’re pushing to free Congo, free Sudan, free Syria, free Palestine,” he said. He added that hosting a race should not distract from problems in the country and urged people to approach the issue with humility.
Formula One is targeting the race for the early 2030s. The continent last hosted a Formula One race at South Africa’s Kyalami circuit in 1993. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has also criticized the decision. The DRC, the United States and U.N. experts have accused Rwanda of backing M23 rebels fighting in the DRC.
Amnesty International accused Formula One of “hollow words” and of offering Rwanda a “sportswashing prize.” The term describes the use of sport to improve a country’s image abroad; in this case, it is an accusation about the deal’s effect, not an established motive for it.
Hamilton said he has long campaigned for a race in Africa, including through meetings with Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali and leaders from African countries. He described an African Grand Prix as a personal dream and said he hoped the Rwanda plan would prompt broader discussion about the continent. He also linked some challenges there to colonial rule and past Western involvement.
Hamilton made the remarks ahead of Sunday’s U.S. Grand Prix.
