Lewis Hamilton has called for peace in Congo and Sudan and urged African nations to unite, as Rwanda’s historic Formula One deal faces criticism over the conflict in neighbouring DR Congo, reports Brendan Odoi
Keypoints:
- Hamilton calls for peace and African unity
- Congo condemns Rwanda’s Formula One deal
- Human rights concerns cloud F1’s Africa return
LEWIS Hamilton has welcomed Formula One’s long-awaited return to Africa with a powerful appeal for peace, urging the world not to forget the suffering in Congo, Sudan, Syria and Palestine as Rwanda prepares to host the continent’s first Grand Prix in more than three decades.
But the seven-time world champion’s excitement comes at a difficult moment. Rwanda’s historic agreement with Formula One has drawn sharp criticism from neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which accuses Kigali of helping fuel a devastating conflict in its eastern provinces.
For Hamilton, who has campaigned for years to bring Formula One back to Africa, the occasion offers more than a chance to race on the continent. He believes it should also encourage the world to learn about Africa’s history, understand its challenges and recognise its enormous potential.
Hamilton calls for peace and unity
Speaking ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin on October 25, Hamilton acknowledged the controversy surrounding Rwanda’s selection without withdrawing his support for an African race.
In remarks reported by Tom Cary of The Daily Telegraph, the Ferrari driver said people needed to approach Africa’s problems with greater humility and a willingness to learn.
He recalled growing up in England with little knowledge of African history, arguing that colonialism and Western intervention had left consequences that were still being felt across the continent.
But Hamilton’s message was not simply about the past.
He spoke warmly about Africa’s people, creativity and natural wealth, and expressed hope that its nations would one day work together more closely.
For the 41-year-old driver, African unity is not just an ideal. He believes a more united continent could become a formidable force in world affairs.
His remarks ended with an unmistakable appeal: ‘Free Congo, free Sudan, free Syria, free Palestine.’
It was a striking intervention from one of motorsport’s biggest names, particularly at a time when Formula One is preparing to expand into a region where sporting ambitions and political tensions increasingly overlap.
Hamilton has made similar arguments before.
Earlier this year, he criticised the continuing influence of former colonial powers over African resources and urged African nations to take greater control of their wealth.
Those comments attracted international attention, including a brief response from Elon Musk, as Africa Briefing reported during the debate over African resource ownership.
Rwanda secures a historic Grand Prix
Hamilton’s latest remarks followed Rwanda’s landmark 10-year Formula One agreement announced on October 13.
The deal will bring Grand Prix racing back to Africa for the first time since the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami.
A new circuit is planned for Bugesera, about 40 kilometres south of Kigali, with the first race expected in the early 2030s.
For President Paul Kagame, securing the event represents a major achievement in Rwanda’s efforts to establish itself as an international destination for tourism, business and sport.
The government hopes the Grand Prix will attract visitors, create jobs and encourage investment in hotels, transport and other infrastructure.
Kigali is already looking for investors to support those ambitions. As Rwanda courts wealthy Asian investors for projects linked to its Formula One plans, the country is seeking private capital for tourism and property developments associated with the race.
But the circuit has yet to be built, and the full costs and financing arrangements have not been disclosed.
For Hamilton, the possibility of racing in Africa is particularly meaningful. He has even suggested that he could extend his career into his mid-40s to fulfil that ambition.
Congo challenges Rwanda’s selection
Across the border in the DRC, however, the announcement has been met with anger.
Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner has accused Formula One of handing Kagame a prestigious international platform while his government faces allegations of involvement in the war in eastern Congo.
Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel movement, whose offensives have displaced large numbers of civilians and deepened an already severe humanitarian crisis.
The allegations go beyond political accusations. UN experts have documented Rwandan military involvement in eastern Congo, while Washington has imposed sanctions over support for M23.
Wagner has also questioned whether revenues linked to Rwanda’s Grand Prix could be connected to the exploitation of Congolese minerals.
She wants Formula One to demand independent guarantees that funding for the event will not come from conflict-linked resources.
Rwanda rejects the suggestion that its actions are driven by mineral interests.
Kagame maintains that his country’s concerns are primarily about security, particularly threats associated with the FDLR, an armed group whose leadership includes individuals linked to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
As Kagame explained while denying mineral-related motives in the Congo conflict, Kigali insists its position is rooted in national security rather than competition for Congo’s mineral wealth.
The dispute has become one of the most difficult political questions surrounding Formula One’s return to Africa.
Rights concerns shadow F1 ambitions
Human rights organisations have also challenged the decision to award Rwanda a Grand Prix.
Amnesty International warned on October 13 that the agreement could help Rwanda improve its international image, despite longstanding concerns about political repression and alleged abuses at home and across the border.
The organisation urged Formula One to use its influence to press for improvements rather than simply promote the event.
Formula One has defended the agreement, arguing that international sport can deliver economic, social and cultural benefits to host countries.
Hamilton has taken a measured position.
He has not condemned Rwanda’s selection or called for the race to be moved elsewhere. Instead, he has argued that bringing Formula One to Africa should not mean ignoring the region’s problems.
That distinction matters. Hamilton wants the continent to enjoy the opportunities that come with hosting a global sporting event, while encouraging people to confront the realities that exist beyond the racetrack.
Africa’s breakthrough brings difficult questions
There is something deeply significant about the timing.
After more than 30 years without a Grand Prix, Africa finally has a confirmed route back onto Formula One’s calendar.
For millions of African motorsport supporters, it is a breakthrough worth celebrating.
For Rwanda, it offers international recognition and the possibility of new investment.
But for families caught in the fighting in eastern Congo, the celebrations across the border may be harder to share.
Hamilton’s intervention brings those contrasting realities into focus.
He has spent years urging Formula One to recognise Africa’s place in the sport. Now that the opportunity has arrived, he is asking the world to recognise something else: the continent’s people, its history and the challenges that continue to shape their lives.
The question facing Formula One is whether its African comeback can deliver more than a prestigious race weekend.
For Hamilton, that wider conversation has already begun.