Formula One boss Stefano Domenicali visited South Africa this week for talks that could see the country's Kyalami circuit return to the Grand Prix calendar next year for the first time since 1993.
A Formula One spokesman confirmed that Domenicali flew to South Africa after last Sunday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.
The former Ferrari team boss, who took over at the helm of Formula One last year, will meet representatives of the circuit north of Johannesburg with the sport keen to do a deal.
Africa is the only continent other than Antarctica without a Formula One race and Domenicali, who represents commercial rights holders Liberty Media, has spoken of his desire to rectify that.
Chloe Targett-adams, Formula One's global director of race promotion, said last week that Africa was a big strategic aim.
"It is the only continent we're not in, it's an unbelievable demographic in population and one that we're very keen to bring more into the Formula One world," she said.
South Africa was a regular round of the championship until 1985, when some teams and sponsors boycotted the race due to apartheid. The sport returned to Kyalami in 1992 and 1993 after apartheid had ended.
Mercedes' seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton has also pushed for the return of an African race with his father Anthony involved at one point in a Cape Town project.
Talk has intensified recently of
Kyalami returning on what would be a record calendar of 24 races next season, if China's race in Shanghai is also re-instated after an absence due to Covid-19.
A new race in Las Vegas for 2023 has been announced, while Qatar starts a new 10-year cycle after dropping off this year's calendar due to the soccer World Cup. France's round at Le Castellet, could miss out.
A provisional calendar could be published by the August break.
