South Africa

Ferrari F1 champion suggests GREED stopped South Africa return

Kyalami was tipped for a return to F1 this season

Ewan Gale

Thursday 9 March 2023 12:02 Updated: 12:11

Former F1 driver Jody Scheckter has explained why South Africa failed to return to the calendar this year.

The Kyalami circuit last hosted a race in 1993 but was mooted for a return this year, taking F1 back to Africa and completing what would be a world championship.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali had indicated the sport's 'commitment' to the deal speaking last summer, yet when the calendar was announced without Kyalami, it was obvious talks had broken down. READ MORE: F1 Power Rankings: Full driver order revealed after Bahrain GP

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Speaking to Total Motorsport, Ferrari's 1979 champion Scheckter said: “I was an inside part of it, my nephew worked on it for six years.

“It was that close. The guy from Kyalami went from 500,000 to 2 million, and he wanted to take the whole thing over.

“F1 came over to sign. He had got government backing, some of the wealthiest people in South Africa behind it. Everything was in place, and the guy from Kyalami got greedy.

“Just as soon as F1 left, he changed the whole thing completely. The government realised there was a fight [going on] and withdrew, and that was the end.

“Maybe it’ll happen back here again. I don’t know.”

Family hurt

“My nephew had been working on it for six years, nearly full-time,” added Scheckter.

“Because going [through the] government and getting [their support] and for them all to agree to put some budget in and then to secure the money. It takes a massive amount [of effort].

“All of a sudden, it was over, and he was left with nothing.”