The European Grand Prix was run this year in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. If you’ve always dreamed of attending the monaco grand prix, this new race is a breathtaking alternative.
Every motorsport enthusiast has a bucket list of races and events they want to attend at least once in their lives – the Le Mans 24 hours, Indianapolis 500 and Monaco Grand Prix are probably at the top of the list for everyone. This year saw a new race on the F1 calendar that looks set to become the darling of the circuit.
The European Grand Prix was run this year in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. Nestling on the Caspian Sea, Baku is said to be the first city in Europe to see daybreak. It is defined by its stunning Old Town – a UNESCO heritage site – as well as its flourishing downtown streets, booming with high-end designer shops, wonderful restaurants and bars. It is surrounded by elaborate architectural developments that give this city its inimitable flavour, which has seen it described as the ‘Paris of the East’.
The streets of Monaco have long ago outgrown the speed of modern Formula 1 cars, and the race – although a great spectacle – is rarely exciting. Although this year’s race was dominated by Nico Rosberg who scored a grand slam at the race as outright winner and winning pole position and fastest lap, it is the potential of this new street circuit designed by regular F1 architect, Hermann Tilke, to provide close and exciting racing that puts it firmly on enthusiasts’ bucket lists.
The 6km long circuit travels around the downtown area of Baku, which incorporates the heritage site known as Icheri Sheher, the old city – where the organisers have laid temporary asphalt on the cobbled streets to allow the cars to race through – and the more modern sections on the promenade near the Caspian Sea, and is unlike anything seen before in F1. Most of the corners are low speed and in the old city are very narrow, but the straights are long and fast with speeds of up to 350km/h achieved during the race on the 2.1km long straight. This kind of speed is only seen at Monza and in the high altitude of Mexico, the other two high speed circuits on the calendar!
So, if you’re planning a European trip for 2017 and want to enjoy the highest level of motorsport with a twist, you can join the mailing list about the event by visiting
www.bakucitycircuit.com.
