F1 News: Another Africa nation throws hat in ring

Morocco wants to bring Formula 1 back to Africa. A mega project worth $1.2 billion provides for a state-of-the-art circuit near Tangier, with hotels, shops and a theme park.

Proposed circuit in Tangier – 20 kilometers south of the city

Of all the Africa race proposals, Morocco makes the most sense, since in Morocco, the average salary of people is close to $100K per year – they can afford a race ticket. Morocco is also one of the safest nations in Africa. Visitors won’t have to fear for their life.

According to motorsport site RacingNews365, the project is being led by former McLaren boss Éric Boullier.

His team visited the site south of Tangier at the end of 2023 and concluded that it meets all the requirements to host a GP. The circuit will receive a Grade 1 homologation, required for F1, and is located close to the port of Tangier Med and the airport, which makes it logistically attractive for teams.

It would be the first African GP circuit since Johannesburg in 1993. Morocco is competing for that place together with South Africa and Rwanda. Boullier calls the project a “mini-Abu Dhabi” and expects it to create up to 10,000 jobs.

800 million dollars in private money has already been pledged. For the rest of the funding and the official candidacy, they are still waiting for the green light from the highest Moroccan authorities. Only then can they officially start talking to F1 boss Stefano Domenicali.

If everything is approved, the works could start soon. The goal: a first GP in 2028.