F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has promised the imminent arrival of a major change to the series calendar with race rotation coming ‘very, very soon’. Unfortunately for Lewis Hamilton, this will involve Grands Prix in Europe, rather than his long-time ambition of an event in South Africa.

The arrival of race rotation has been expected for some time. With the futures of the Dutch, Belgian, Emilia-Romagna and Spanish Grands Prix all up in the air, and more countries vying for spots on the calendar, the idea of swapping events in and out of the calendar feels to many to be a reasonable compromise.

Speaking to Liberty Media investors after the race in Brazil, Domenicali explained: “We have some news to share very, very soon with regard to the possibility in the mid-term to have some rotational European Grand Prix and some other new options coming later.

“This is something that, of course, we will clarify in the due course. It is true that we have a large demand of new possible venues that wants to come in and our choice will always be balanced between the right economical benefits that we can have as a system and also to leverage in the growth on the market that we can see potential that will be beneficial for us to grow even further our business.”

Some circuits within Europe look to be safe from race rotation. Silverstone, the Hungaroring and the Red Bull Ring are all here to stay with their contracts extending into the next decade.

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However, others are likely to be shuffled out. South Korea, Argentina, Rwanda and Thailand are among the nations pushing for a spot on the calendar, and Domenicali has routinely engaged in talks with backers from these countries regarding staging a Grand Prix.

The glaring omission from the calendar, however, is South Africa. F1 raced at the Kyalami Circuit most recently in 1993, but the government have serious ambitions to bring the sport back to Africa, and they have the backing of Hamilton to do so.

Hamilton has been pushing for a return to South Africa for years, even suggesting to fans last season that he wouldn’t quit the sport until he gets to race on the African continent. It is currently the only one on which the F1 ‘World Championship’ does not compete.

The necessary steps are being taken though. Earlier this month, the South African government agreed a deal with Apex Circuit Design – the company behind Miami’s F1 track – to bring the Kyalami Circuit back up to FIA Grade One certification ahead of a prospective return to the calendar.