Motosport’s top competition is dropping hints of coming back, but would we want this to happen?
How different would motorsport in South Africa be if Formula 1 stuck around? Once a popular stop on the circuit, the South African Grand Prix never recovered after it was belatedly pushed out of apartheid’s borders. For years since we’ve been getting the odd hint that it may return,but they turn out to be nothing more than that. Perhaps not until now.
“South Africa has a very special place in F1 history,” she says. “The track at Kyalami is iconic and provided some amazing races in its time, alongside a legend of the sport, Jody Scheckter, who was the world champion in 1979. Additionally, Africa remains the last habitable continent we don’t currently race on and, as we have said before, we remain committed to returning to South Africa in the future.
When Liberty Media procured the company from rapacious billionaire Bernie Ecclestone in 2017, it soon realised his long-established model was no longer sustainable. Under the business magnate, F1 sought to make much of its income from the exorbitant fees it charged host nations for the privilege of hosting a grand prix and the high sponsorship rates luxurious brands paid to advertise on its platform.
As Noman tells it: “We are focused on serving our fans, creating amazing spectacles, improving the racing on track and utilising new and conventional forms of media to expand the reach of the sport. We have evolved greatly since 2017.” Just how much money we can’t be sure, because all host negotiations and agreements are kept fiercely secret. Still, there’s been enough leaks and financial disclosures over the years to piece together a good understanding, which is precisely what Forbes F1 writer Christian Sylt did. According to his estimate the annual hosting fee begins at $31.5-million.
“[Yes, it costs a lot] but also it brings a lot to the community and to the country and brings a lot of money in, so they’ll look at all of that to see if it’s worth coming in. It will be a long process, but it has to be worthwhile for the country.”
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