Formula 1's potential return to Africa could hinge on a $1.2 billion project in Morocco, racing news outlet RacingNews365 reports exclusively on Wednesday. The Moroccan project, reportedly located 20 km south of Tangiers, includes a Grade 1 circuit suitable for F1, WEC, and MotoGP, as well as a theme park, shopping mall, hotels, and a marina. The plan is expected to create 10,000 jobs and has secured $800 million in private funding. The man behind the project is former McLaren and Lotus team principal Eric Boullier. «This is quite a big project. It is a mini-Abu Dhabi, if I may compare, creating a completely independent ecosystem, obviously based on tourism», Boullier told RacingNews365 exclusively. He revealed that he had been contacted in December 2023 to assess the possibility of Morocco hosting F1. «At that time, my French Grand Prix team was still with me. So we went there to do a feasibility study to assess the potential of one day hosting Formula 1 racing in Morocco», he recalled. «We found that the spot they selected met all the criteria, and from that point, we built the project. It will have a huge impact on the region, based south of Tangiers, with additional hotels and the airport all within 15 kilometres», he explained. The project was presented earlier this month, though it still awaits government approval, according to the same source, which also published a photo of the plan. «Once we get approval, then we can start to get excited. But without the approval from the highest level, there's no project. It stays on paper», Boullier noted, adding that the project could be built within three years. While Morocco's bid trails behind South Africa and Rwanda, Boullier insists it «would be a better fit».
