The Azerbaijan Grand Prix from this year?
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix could be introduced much earlier than expected. This is what the organizers of the Baku Formula 1 race are claiming.
It was reported last week that the Baku Grand Prix would take place on a street circuit. Bernie Ecclestone explained that in 2016 the Azerbaijani Grand Prix would be on the Formula 1 World Championship calendar. However, race officials want their Grand Prix to take place in 2015 instead.
The Azerbaijani Minister of Sports spoke on this subject: « We have signed the agreement with Bernie Ecclestone, and we will officially announce it with an event very soon in Baku ».
However, the Associated Press indicates that the contract was reportedly signed for 2015 and not in 2016. The Formula 1 Grand Prix that we have will be held in Baku in the fall of 2015, confirmed the spokesperson for the Minister of Sports, Samaya Mammadova, while revealing that a contract signing ceremony would take place in May.
According to the German daily Die Welt, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix could take place instead of the Russian Grand Prix. The Russian Grand Prix would thus be held on October 12, a week after the Japanese Grand Prix. However, the Russian Grand Prix might not happen due to the current crisis in Crimea, which still subjects Russia to international sanctions.
Moreover, the DTM event scheduled to take place in Moscow is also under threat. However, Hans-Werner Aufrecht, the President of ITR, the promoter of DTM, explained that the event will indeed take place at the beginning of July. The DTM race organizer stated: As the organization, we are observing the current events happening in Russia; we understand very well that holding the race depends on the Russian political situation.
According to Die Welt, Azerbaijan is ready in case of the cancellation of the Russian Grand Prix.
