Andrew Benson
Appearances
Global News Podcast
The secret police's grip on Syria under Assad
It's not been a secret in Formula 1 that there have been talks about this. It's some way from happening, and if it does happen, it's not going to be probably before 2028 at the absolute earliest. They're building a track near a new airport just outside Kigali, and the airport hasn't been finished yet. It's due to be finished in 2026, and the track then needs to be built beyond that.
Global News Podcast
The secret police's grip on Syria under Assad
Well, I guess it's like any country that wants a Grand Prix that doesn't have the sort of history that, say, Britain or Germany or Belgium has. New countries, you know, whether it be China or Azerbaijan or the Middle East or now Rwanda, it's all about promoting the country. So it's about putting a positive face on your country to the rest of the world.
Global News Podcast
The secret police's grip on Syria under Assad
Well, anything that's designed to dress up a country, make it look in its best light to the rest of the world, is going to have that kind of accusation, isn't it? Obviously, that's an accusation that's levelled particularly against places like Saudi Arabia, where human rights concerns have been raised.
Global News Podcast
The secret police's grip on Syria under Assad
So I guess it's a part of a wider policy that they have to heighten their engagement with the rest of the world.
Global News Podcast
The secret police's grip on Syria under Assad
This track has been designed, I'm told, with involvement from local businesses, local authorities. So the idea is it's not just a bunch of Europeans turning up and doing their thing and imposing it on Africa. It's supposed to be something that is authentic.
Global News Podcast
The secret police's grip on Syria under Assad
befitting of the country I can't speak to what Paul Kagame thinks he was going to get out of this but for Formula One from an image point of view from the sporting side there's a Grand Prix on every continent at the moment apart from Antarctica and Africa obviously there's never going to be one on Antarctica but they're very keen to have one in Africa there was a Grand Prix in South Africa
Global News Podcast
The secret police's grip on Syria under Assad
For many years, during the apartheid era, up until 1993, there was an attempt actually to revive that race at the same track, Kayalami, near Johannesburg, a couple of years ago, but the deal fell apart. This is the next project that Formula One are working on. It's not been the only one. Morocco has been mentioned as well. So there's no given about this Rwanda project.
Global News Podcast
The secret police's grip on Syria under Assad
I would say there's a possibility, no more than that at the moment.