South Africa is taking its first decisive step towards bringing Formula 1 back to its shores with an International Motorsport Show in Nelson Mandela Bay this December.

The event has been three years in the making and marks a vital step in South Africa’s renewed position in the world of motorsport.

The Mzansi International Motorsport Show will run from the 10th – 13th of December and include three days of motorsport extravaganza. Several races have been planned around a 1.6 km loop of Marine Drive in Summerstrand. The races will feature supertrucks, karts, exotic tuners, the V8 series and for a bit of South African flavour a taxi race has also been planned. However, what is sure to be the piece de resistance is the Formula 1 exhibition race which will feature two Lotus-Mercedes cars and four South African built F1 cars.

The event is expected to create nearly 3000 annual job opportunities and serve as an important boost to the region’s tourism sector. Ticket prices will range from R150 to R350 with expected attendance of 20 000 spectators per day.

The international launch of the Mzansi Motorsport Show will take place in March in Australia which will also mark the official start of the 2015 Formula 1 season.