Owners of the Kyalami race circuit in South Africa admit they could only consider bringing Formula 1 back to the continent if Liberty Media showed serious interest in doing so.
The racetrack last hosted a Grand Prix in 1993 but in 2014 underwent significant redevelopment in a bid to bring it up to modern safety standards, albeit still just shy of attaining the necessary level to host F1.
But with South Africa still considered the most likely African country to welcome the sport back to the continent, despite new locations such as the street circuit in Marakkesh, Kyalami acknowledges, as the nation's best-known circuit, there is a certain expectation on them.
“Kyalami would welcome F1 at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit again,” circuit spokesperson Christo Kruger told F1 Fanatic. “We think there’s a heritage that we would like to see back again. I also think the African continent deserves an actual F1 race again."
However: “The prohibitive costs of hosting F1 is really the bugbear. It’s just not financially feasible in the current structure to host F1.”
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That's not to say Kyalami is completely ruling out the possibility of a future race, given the new F1 bosses who are keen to expand the calendar and open new markets.
“Kyalami remains there as a facility and we are prepared to enter into negotiations and discussions to upgrade or to change the actual circuit to what is palatable for F1 racing," Kruger said.
“It’s an FIA Grade 2 track at the moment, we will upgrade to Grade 1 but there needs to be a commitment in terms of a long-term future for F1 in South Africa. Although we do not have the financial wherewithal to be the promoter of an F1 race.”
