A consortium looking to bring Formula One racing to the Western Cape by 2031 has reaffirmed its commitment to doing so, despite an announcement that Rwanda has secured a landmark 10-year agreement to host the African Grand Prix from the early 2030s.

The consortium, Blue Mountain Racing (BMR), is chaired by former Sibanye-Stillwater CEO Neal Froneman.

Formula One announced this week that it had reached an agreement with Rwanda to return Grand Prix racing to Africa for the first time since 1993, when South Africa last hosted a race at Kyalami in Johannesburg. The Rwandan event will take place at a new purpose-built circuit in Bugesera, approximately 40km south of the capital, Kigali, near the country's new international airport. An exact date for the inaugural race has not yet been confirmed.

The circuit will be built to the highest international motorsport standards and is expected to accommodate 100 000 spectators. The agreement forms part of Rwanda's broader strategy to attract international sporting events, investment, and tourism.

BMR, which is developing plans for a new Formula One circuit in the Swartland region outside Cape Town, welcomed the announcement, arguing that it demonstrates Formula One’s renewed commitment to expanding into Africa.

In a statement issued today, BMR said Rwanda’s decision to construct an entirely new circuit aligned closely with its own development plans.

The consortium said it believes the Western Cape (in particular Cape Town) offers significant advantages as a potential Grand Prix destination, including its established international air connections, extensive hospitality infrastructure, strong motorsport following, and international reputation as a tourism destination.

BMR’s proposed development, announced last month, would involve a privately funded investment estimated at R6.7 billion. The project envisages a purpose-built Formula One circuit within a 600-hectare motorsport and mixed-use precinct, with facilities capable of accommodating major international racing events.

The consortium argues that Rwanda's successful bid does not necessarily exclude South Africa from securing its own race.

In its statement, BMR pointed to Africa's population of approximately 1.6 billion people across more than 50 countries, arguing that the continent has sufficient scale to accommodate multiple Formula One events.

The Rwanda agreement does, however, mean that South Africa can no longer rely on being the destination through which Formula One makes its long-awaited return to Africa. Any Western Cape Grand Prix would now have to secure a separate place on an increasingly competitive international racing calendar.

BMR remains confident that the Western Cape's tourism appeal, infrastructure, and established motorsport culture could make it an attractive addition to the championship.

It said that its plans and determination remained unchanged.