'Johannesburg is more likely' - SA 'close' to finalising deal with Formula One for an Africa GP

Africa could be Formula One's next destination, even though the sport has decided not to replace the axed Russian GP this year. The New York Times claims a deal between former F1 host Kyalami, located near Johannesburg in South Africa, is "close to being completed".

"Johannesburg is definitely on our list," Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei confirmed. "You'd love to have one in Cape Town, but I'm not sure that's doable, so Johannesburg is the more likely."READ | Max Verstappen: 'I'd like to race in Africa. So Kyalami would be a cool addition'

Do you think Kyalami is the ideal venue for an F1 race in SA, or would you like to see a street circuit in Cape Town or Durban? Let us know in the comments section, or please send us an email here.

Are they expanding too aggressively?

F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali confirmed that South Africa is the "most likely" new venue for F1 that he hopes will happen "as soon as possible".

Maffei continued: "There's a potential desire to do another Asian race.READ | 'The one I really want to see is South Africa,' says Lewis Hamilton on next F1 race addition

"We've had interest from places like Indonesia, going back to Malaysia, and there's been interest in other South American countries, Argentina and Colombia."

Some, however, are concerned that Formula 1 is too aggressively pushing into new markets while marginalising some of the sport's most historic European venues, including France and even Monaco.

Domenicali insists that F1 is just reminding older venues to improve.

"For those saying we are pushing too far and not being respectful to racing in Europe, this is wrong," said the Italian.

"What we are doing is pushing the system for a different approach, to force the promoters to think big because