Alex Albon to bring Formula 1 back to South African fans in landmark Williams visit

The Williams driver’s appearance, organised alongside Super Group brands Betway and Jackpot City, will conclude a month-long roadshow across Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg.

The Williams FW48 show car has toured shopping centres across the country, allowing supporters to see a Formula 1 car up close. Fans were also offered the chance to win a VIP experience with Albon during his visit.

The appearance will be the first official visit by an active Williams driver to South Africa since Alain Prost won the country’s last Formula 1 race in 1993.

Prost claimed victory at Kyalami driving the dominant Williams-Renault FW15C. The Frenchman went on to secure his fourth and final Drivers’ Championship that season.

More than three decades later, Albon’s trip will reconnect Williams with a country closely linked to its history. It also comes ahead of the British team’s 50th anniversary in 2027.

Albon said: “I’ve always wanted to go to South Africa – it's a beautiful country, and South African fans are some of the most passionate in motorsport.

“Bringing F1 to the fans, and doing things a bit differently, is what the Atlassian Williams F1 Team is all about – so this is exactly the kind of moment we love being part of.

“A big thank you to Super Group for making this trip to South Africa happen. It is incredible to be the first Williams driver here since Alain Prost won in 1993 and I’d love to see a race in Africa one day – and I definitely want to be back myself!”

South Africa has not hosted Formula 1 since Prost’s victory at Kyalami, leaving Africa as the only inhabited continent without a race on the current calendar.

Efforts to return Formula 1 to the country have repeatedly focused on Kyalami, although financial and logistical challenges have prevented an agreement from being completed.

Albon’s visit will not include an official Formula 1 demonstration run. However, it gives local fans rare direct access to a current driver and modern Williams machinery.

Williams said its wider objective was to take Formula 1 beyond traditional race weekends. The team claims only one per cent of worldwide fans will attend a Grand Prix during their lifetime.

Its fan zones in Melbourne, Austin and Las Vegas have attracted more than 340,000 visitors over the past two years.

Super Group chief executive Neal Menashe added: “Formula 1 has an incredibly passionate following in South Africa, and we are proud to help bring the sport closer to fans through our partnership with Atlassian Williams F1 Team.

“Seeing the excitement generated by the roadshow across the country has been remarkable, and Alex’s visit is a fitting culmination of that journey.

“At Super Group, we are committed to creating memorable experiences for sports fans, and this is a unique opportunity to give South Africans an unforgettable Formula 1 experience.”

Albon’s appearance will provide another reminder of South Africa’s enduring appetite for Formula 1. Whether that passion eventually produces a return to Kyalami remains the far bigger question.