African GP bid gains momentum as Verstappen identifies Red Bull's post-break priority

Formula 1's push to return to Africa gained significant momentum after CEO Stefano Domenicali confirmed that negotiations are progressing well. The championship has not raced on the continent since the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami, leaving Africa as the only inhabited region without a round on the calendar. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen has identified solving performance inconsistencies as Red Bull's critical focus when the season resumes after the summer break.

Why it matters:

Adding an African race would complete Formula 1's global footprint, with the series currently spread across Europe, Asia, the Americas and Oceania. For Red Bull, curing the RB22's unpredictable form is essential to sustained success, as Verstappen made clear that the team's struggles extend beyond outright pace to include sharp fluctuations in competitiveness across race weekends.

The details:

• Domenicali described progress on an African Grand Prix as "very good," though he offered no specific timeline for confirming a deal.
• South American and Asian nations have also expressed interest in joining the calendar as F1 continues its global expansion.
• Verstappen pinpointed extracting more overall performance from the RB22 as Red Bull's "big priority" following the summer shutdown.
• The Dutchman acknowledged that power unit gains would be welcome, but stressed the greater need to understand why the car's pace can drop unexpectedly between sessions or even during a single race.
• Red Bull intends to reassess its development trajectory once the season resumes, with no firm predictions until after the break.

What's next:

An African Grand Prix remains without a confirmed date, but Domenicali's sustained optimism signals the initiative is edging closer to reality. Red Bull faces a crucial stretch after the shutdown as it works to translate Verstappen's diagnosis into tangible upgrades.

• Africa represents the final continental gap on the F1 calendar, with negotiations now further along than at any point in recent years.
• Red Bull's ability to stabilize the RB22's performance will likely prove decisive in determining whether the team can mount a consistent challenge through the remainder of the season.