A solution has been suggested to swap the dates of the Turkish and Azerbaijan Grand Prix this season but nothing is official.
Follow Us
Formula 1’s (F1) Azerbaijan Grand Prix is still on the calendar for 2024 after the 2020 race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The circuit hosted the first race in 2017, following which in 2019, a contract had been signed for the Baku City Circuit to host a race each year until 2023. However, the 2020 race had to be cancelled due to the pandemic and as a result, F1 have included it in their calendar until at least 2024. There has also been no decision yet of a date swap for the Turkish Grand Prix.
“It is important for us as a country to show that we are on the right track to eradicate Covid-19 and get the country out of this pandemic,” Baku City circuit executive director Arif Rahimov told motorsport news portal Autosport.
“For us in Baku, it is very important to show that we can make planned events go ahead,” Rahimov continued.
“Of course, they are not taking place as before, but they are going ahead. And hopefully next year we can have another full event with audience and concerts. This season is still a bit difficult, but we are on the way back to normal. That’s the message we want to send out into the world,” Rahimov concluded.
Despite not being officially confirmed as of now, it seems more and more unlikely for the Turkish Grand Prix to happen this season. It is scheduled a week after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, on June 13, but quarantine norms for international travellers in Turkey make it impossible for the race to be held just a week after the one at the Baku City Circuit.
A solution had been suggested to swap the dates of the Turkish Grand Prix and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this season, but no official decision has been conveyed by F1 yet. Speaking on the issue, Rahimov said that footballing events like the Euro Cup matches in the city have made it impossible for a date swap.
“There were talks, but in our case, the race weekend is really fixed,” he said.
“The football is still going on, so we can’t do much, we’re not very flexible this year. I think if it was another year when we are the only major event on the Baku calendar, that (a swap) would have been an option, but not this year.”
2023 Formula E Hyderabad ePrix: Preview, Dates, Tickets, Live Streaming, all you need to know
