ROYAL RACE

Almost four months is left until Baku hosts a leg of European Grand Prix of the Formula One World Motor Racing Championship for the first time. The company operating the Baku city circuit keeps working to prepare the circuit for the motor races. In particular, it is actively replacing the roadway on the circuit.

Azerbaijani Youth and Sport Minister Azad Rahimov has told R+ about the progress in preparations for the races, the significance of this event and volunteers' participation.

"In terms of the size of audience, Formula One (F1) is number three in the world after the Summer Olympics and the World Football Cup. The European Grand Prix will offer plenty of exciting and interesting moments to motor sports fans and we expect a great many of tourists to come to this event. TV broadcasts covering the motor races will be available practically at any point on the planet. F1 will open up a new stage in domestic sports and provide a new proof that Azerbaijan is a sport-loving country," A.Rahimov said.

It is planned to involve thousands of volunteers in the competitions, he said, as no big sporting event in the world can do without them.

"We have already seen for ourselves how much support the army of volunteers provided at the First European Games and I am sure that we will also feel their assistance at the European Grand Prix. After all, this is an excellent opportunity for the young to see world class motor races from the inside," the minister said.

As part of the run-up to the event, a centre for volunteer selection and training has already been commissioned. Overall, it is planned to involve up to 5,000 volunteers. The centre has already registered 7,000 young people wishing to help in organizing the European Grand Prix.

According to the findings of a sociological survey conducted by the SIAR company among 1,000 people, 70 per cent of the respondents view volunteers as an important part of this international event. Meanwhile, 50 per cent of the respondents expressed their wish to try their hand as volunteers.

Azad Rahimov also touched directly on the F1 preparations and budget. "It is difficult to specify the sum now but the budget will be announced based on the work done. It is not at all 150m dollars as the media are writing. It will be much less. For example, it will take 12m manats to repair the entire six-kilometre circuit. We have also ordered a fully equipped two-floor building for the pit stop, which will cost us 30m manats. It will be brought ready-made to Azerbaijan and erected on Azadliq Square," he said.

The minister pointed out that the main task today is to prepare the roads for the motor races in such a way as to minimize problems for the residents: "All the preparation works are going on according to schedule with no problems or delays. We are also trying not to make problems for the residents. The paving on the six-kilometre long track is being replaced but the timing of the work enables us to avoid big traffic jams," he said.

He also said that active sales of tickets for the motor races are going on and 65 per cent of the tickets meant for the foreign audience have already been sold. The buyers are mostly residents of Russia, as well as Kazakhstan, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Turkey, Spain and Canada.

Baku expects some 11,000 tourists to arrive. Overall, up to 40,000 spectators can watch the races from the stands.

As regards ticket prices, they start at 29 manats for one of the three track days. The most expensive are tickets for Sunday, 19 June, when the race proper will be held. Their prices exceed 700 manats. Tickets for qualification on Saturday and free practice on Friday will be cheaper. At the same time, those who wish may buy tickets for all the three track days in one package.

According to Azad Rahimov, in future, the government intends to support young and promising pilots and even consider the idea to make an Azerbaijani F1 team. "We want to see the Azerbaijani colours at the competitions and attract our sponsors to Azerbaijan's team. We see this potential," he said.

The European F1 Grand Prix motor racing will be held on 17-19 June 2016. F-1 pilots will start from Azadliq Square and drive along Neftcilar Avenue. Then the track goes round the Maiden Tower and the Old City walls. It is anticipated that the F1 pilots in Baku will be able to increase speed up to 340 km per hour.

INTERESTING FACTS

Formula One, or FIA Formula One World Championship, is an open-wheel car circuit racing championship.

The F1 World Championship is held every year. It consists of individual Grand Prix series. At the end of the year, the championship winner becomes known. Both individual pilots and teams contend in F1. The pilots vie for the World Champion title and the teams for the Constructors Cup.

The first Formula One World Championship was held in 1950 and the event has been held for 64 years now and, as a rule, only in countries having the required infrastructure.