Overview

• The FIA has approved plans to upgrade Kyalami Circuit in South Africa to Grade 1 status, clearing the way for F1 world championship events at the venue.
• The upgrade preserves the existing 4.5 km layout while boosting run-off areas, barrier systems, debris fencing, kerbs and drainage to meet modern safety standards.
• Circuit owner Toby Venter hailed the approval as a defining moment for South African motorsport and a step toward reconnecting F1 with the African continent.
• Under FIA conditions, Kyalami must finish all approved works within a three-year window to secure its Grade 1 certification.
• Kyalami competes with a proposed Cape Town street circuit and a bid for a venue near Kigali, Rwanda, even as F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali cautions that finalizing a deal remains a distant prospect.