Rwanda Motodrome
The circuit that will bring Grand Prix racing back to Africa. About 6 km and 17 corners through the hills of Bugesera, with 197 metres of elevation change and a lakeside section. It won't be built for years — but you can open our trace of the concept layout in the designer today and make your own version.
The track at a glance
On 13 October 2026, Formula 1 and Rwanda announced a 10-year deal to host an African Grand Prix from the early 2030s. The race will be held at a new, permanent circuit — the Rwanda Motodrome — in Bugesera, about 40 km south of Kigali and next to the new international airport being built there.
The concept layout is about 6 km long with 17 corners and runs anticlockwise. It is designed by Tilke Engineering with former Grand Prix driver Alex Wurz. Its headline figure is 197 metres of elevation change per lap, which the designers say is almost double Spa-Francorchamps. The track runs between two hills and down to a lake, with banked corners, a straight of more than 1 km into a heavy braking zone, and fast corners along the shore.
It would be the first Grand Prix in Africa since South Africa in 1993. The plans also include space for around 100,000 spectators on the hillsides, karting and off-road tracks, and a driving experience centre.
About this trace. No official map or coordinates have been published yet. We traced the layout by hand from the concept render shown at the launch, corrected for the camera angle, and scaled it to the announced 6 km. Reports place the circuit beside Lake Kidogo, so we have put it on the hills on that lake's shore, between the lake and the new airport. Treat the exact position, orientation and corner shapes as our best estimate, and expect the final design to change.
A lap of the Rwanda concept, corner by corner
Corner numbers have not been published, so this guide follows the concept lap section by section, as it appears in the render.
- StartThe pit straight. The start and finish sit on a long straight lined by the pit and paddock buildings, which are terraced into the hillside.
- InfieldThrough the middle. At the end of the straight the track doubles back through a tight hairpin and a quick kink in the middle of the site, before swinging out to a hairpin at the far corner.
- StraightThe long straight. A straight of more than 1 km across the top of the site — the longest on the lap. It ends in a heavy braking zone for a hairpin, the main place to overtake.
- HillsAcross the hillside. A long loop out to the far side of the site with a second hairpin at its tip, following the contours between the two hills.
- LakeThe lakeside esses. A sequence of fast, flowing corners close to the lake shore, where the track drops towards the water.
- ReturnBack to the start. A long, sweeping run past the lake leads to a final hairpin at the bottom of the pit straight.
From bid to Grand Prix
Rwanda's bid moved quickly from an announcement to a signed deal.
- 1993The last Grand Prix in Africa is held at Kyalami in South Africa.
- 2024In December, Rwanda's President Paul Kagame confirms the country's bid to host a Grand Prix.
- 2026On 13 October, a 10-year deal for an African Grand Prix in Rwanda is announced in Kigali, with the first concept of the circuit.
- 2028The new international airport next to the site is due to open.
- 2030sThe first African Grand Prix is planned for the early 2030s.
Designed around the land
Most new Grand Prix circuits are built on flat, open ground and add height changes artificially. Rwanda is known as the "land of a thousand hills", and the designers have used that: the track climbs and falls by up to 12–13% between two hills, several corners are banked, and the paddock is terraced into the slope, drawing on traditional Rwandan village design.
The hillsides double as natural grandstands. For more on why height changes make a circuit special, read our guide to elevation change in race track design, or see how it compares with Spa-Francorchamps, the benchmark it is being measured against.
Ideas for your remaster
The Remaster button opens our trace of the concept in the designer. You can move any point and the lap time, speed trace and corner analysis update as you go. A few places to start:
Design your own version. The final layout isn't fixed yet. Change it the way you think it should go, and compare it when the official map is published.
Use the lake. The lakeside section is the most dramatic part of the site. Try running more of the lap along the shore.
Make the most of the long straight. Experiment with the hairpin at the end of it and watch how the braking zone changes in the speed trace.
Finish it properly. Add track width, kerbs, run-off and a pit lane so it reads like a real venue.
When you're happy with it, share your version with its own link. The concept stays here for the next person to remaster.
Frequently asked questions
Where will the Rwanda circuit be?
In Bugesera District, about 40 km south of Kigali, next to the new international airport. Reports place it beside Lake Kidogo. No official coordinates have been published, so the position of our trace is an estimate.
How long is the Rwanda track?
The concept is about 6 km long with 17 corners, runs anticlockwise, and has 197 metres of elevation change per lap.
When will the first African Grand Prix be held?
In the early 2030s, under a 10-year deal announced in October 2026. No exact year has been given.
Who is designing the circuit?
Tilke Engineering, working with former Grand Prix driver Alex Wurz.
How accurate is this trace?
It was traced by hand from the concept render, corrected for the camera angle and scaled to the announced 6 km. The overall shape is a close match to the render, but the exact position, orientation and corner details are estimates, and the final design is likely to change.
Concept layout traced by RaceTrackDesigner from the official concept render (October 2026); position and orientation estimated. Circuit facts: Formula 1, Speedcafe, Agaciro Press; lake position from NGA GeoNames. RaceTrackDesigner is not affiliated with the circuit, its owners or any racing series.