Can Africa's drivers afford Formula 1 dreams?
Focus on Africa

Can Africa's drivers afford Formula 1 dreams?

B2Upper-intermediateOctober 15, 202622 min
  • Interview

Rwanda has secured a 10-year deal to host Formula 1, potentially bringing the sport back to Africa for the first time since 1993. But the cost of developing young talent remains a major barrier. South African driver Mika Abrahams and his mother, Denise, discuss the financial challenges facing aspiring African drivers as they try to progress through the ranks towards Formula 1. Also, women make up nearly half of sub-Saharan Africa’s agricultural workforce, yet research suggests they are less productive than men in the sector. Limited access to land ownership, inheritance rights and finance can prevent women from reaching th...

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and to fight and to showcase Africa's talent.

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But in Kenya, some women are building their incomes and financial independence through

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B2 · Upper-intermediate

Comfortable if you already follow TV news

A1 23%A2 43%B1 21%B2 11%C1 2%
  • 87% of the words are B1 or easier.
  • 164 words a minute: natural, fairly fast speech.
  • 78 harder words (B2 and up) in the whole episode.

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0:00

Hello there and welcome to Focus on Africa. I am Keiichi Umunna. Did you know that becoming a Formula One driver costs at least $5 million over the course of your career?

0:18

As Rwanda prepares to host a Grand Prix, 18-year-old South African Mika Abrahams is nursing the expensive dream of competing in motorsports top flight. It's great that we have a race, but we also need the drivers there to be in that race. So I would hope to see in the future, not just myself or everyone who aspires to race in Europe,

0:38

that our country, our continent will support us financially, support us to be in these championships and to fight and to showcase Africa's talent. And women farmers in sub-Saharan Africa face barriers that limit their productivity and earnings. But in Kenya, some women are building their incomes and financial independence through

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