Official: Azerbaijan will host the European Grand Prix of F1 in 2016

And one more destination for Formula 1: already mentioned several months ago, the organization of a Grand Prix by Azerbaijan is now official. It was announced by the Azerbaijani Minister of Youth and Sports, Azad Rahimov, in a statement.

« I am delighted to officially announce that we have signed a contract to host Formula 1 in Baku in 2016. Our position at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and East Asia is a new frontier for Formula 1, » stated the minister, before explaining the country’s strategy regarding major sporting events: « Azerbaijan is a modern country that has established a reputation for excellence in sports. The agreement to host F1 in Baku marks a very significant new chapter in our current success in attracting the biggest sporting events to our country. »

« The European Grand Prix of Formula 1 in Baku will be a spectacular addition to the Formula 1 calendar. The race we will organize will be similar to the urban circuits already on the F1 World Championship calendar. » The city track could largely follow the layout of the circuit used by the FIA GT.

With Mexico starting in 2015 and therefore Azerbaijan in 2016, the Formula 1 calendar is heading towards the symbolic mark of 20 Grand Prix, or even more. It remains to be seen if any races will disappear from the calendar and, if so, which ones. Among the races that could potentially be added, the Grand Prix organized in New York remains a possibility, even though it has already been postponed twice.

More information to follow…