Baku campaigning for new date for Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Baku campaigning for new GP slot

They want a return to June.

Martin Macdonald

Thursday 25 April 2019 13:24

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The organisers of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix are attempting to move the date of the race back to its previously slot of June instead of April, but are facing difficulties due to the upcoming Euro 2020 football championships in which the city is a host.

Baku was added to the Formula 1 calendar in 2016 with a date in June, but it was subsequently moved to the fourth race in the calendar for 2018 and again in 2019.

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There is a desire to return to the old spot in the schedule, but as Baku features matches in June 2020 for the Euros, the proposal has been complicated.

“It’s a bit complicated for us, specifically for next year because we’re hosting the three group games and one quarter-final for the European football championship,” said GP promoter Arif Rahimov.

“And we [the grand prix] want to be in June as well, so we’re trying to figure out if there is a slot where we can fit in. We would want to move back to June.

“The weather is a bit more predictable, the build-up is easier, you have less winds, less rains. It’s warmer overall. But we’ll see.”

Rahimov thinks the city is capable of having both events take place in June, but recognises that it will have to make sense for Formula 1.

“It’s good to have it to create this festival feeling for three weeks,” he suggested.

“I think given the logistical restrictions of Formula 1 we kind of have to stick to some guidelines to see whether we can actually make it happen.

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— Baku City Circuit (@BakuCityCircuit) April 24, 2019

“We have traditionally Canada in June, we have European races coming in June like France, so it just needs to make sense logistically.

“It’s not up to us, F1 has to sort out how they move things from one race to another.

“We are a flyaway race and traditionally there were no flyaways [in the summer].

“I don’t know if they are going to arrange something different for next year to help this happen but I think it’s time to start thinking about it, because if we are looking at 22-24 races on the calendar then you have to be prepared for all kinds of different scenarios.”

The 2019 Azerbaijan GP takes place on Sunday at the Baku City Circuit.