Bugesera’s rolling hills, lakeside setting and proximity to Rwanda’s upcoming international airport were key factors behind the decision to build the country’s planned Formula One circuit in the district, according to the designers behind the project.
The proposed circuit, located about 40 kilometres south of Kigali, is expected to host the African Grand Prix in the early 2030s under a 10-year agreement between Formula One and the Rwandan government announced by President Paul Kagame on Tuesday, October 13.
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Alexander Wurz, a former Formula One driver leading the design through Wurz Design alongside Tilke Engineers and Architects, said several locations and concepts were considered before the team settled on Bugesera.
Options included a street circuit and other potential sites, including the area around Kigali’s existing airport. However, a visit to Bugesera convinced the designers that its natural landscape offered the best setting for the project.
"When we learned about the development in Bugesera, and then we actually saw it, and you see the hillsides and the lakes, I said, ‘Guys, there's only one location this circuit should be, because it doesn't need us to design it, because nature designed already the perfect topography,’” Wurz said at a press conference in Kigali.
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The planned six-kilometre RISE Motordrome will feature 17 corners and an elevation change of approximately 197 metres per lap. Its layout is expected to take advantage of the area's climbs, descents and natural contours, creating a challenging track for drivers.
Carsten Tilke, managing director of Tilke Engineers and Architects, also highlighted the site's landscape as a major advantage for the design.
"We were very, very lucky because it's a very hilly topography. We have a lake. We have everything you dream of when you design a track,” he said.
The surrounding hills could also provide natural viewing areas, bringing spectators closer to the action while allowing the circuit to fit into the landscape.
The location also offers a potential logistical advantage. The site is reported to be approximately 3.5 kilometres from the new Kigali International Airport, placing the two major developments within close reach of each other.
For an event expected to attract teams, drivers, officials, sponsors, international media and spectators from around the world, proximity to an international airport could simplify transfers between the airport, accommodation and the circuit.
President Kagame said during the announcement of the Formula One agreement that the circuit and airport were expected to generate long-term economic benefits.
"The circuit in Bugesera, alongside the new international airport, will bring jobs, skills, tourism and new business to our country and our region for decades to come, because our aim was never a single race weekend, but a lasting benefit for our people,” Kagame said.
The venue is also intended to accommodate activities beyond Formula One, including other motorsport events and driving experiences, as well as entertainment activities.
For the designers, Bugesera offers a combination of natural terrain and space for a purpose-built circuit. For Rwanda, the challenge will be to translate that setting into an operational international venue while delivering the wider economic benefits promised by the project.