In Azerbaijan there is always hunger for more, especially if that “more” means speeding cars, glamorous women walking around in their stilettos, more blinding lights and fame, and of course a significant budget.
And where else to have all of the above but by hosting a race show. And not just a race show but Formula 1. Andrew Benson
writes in his story
for BBC Sport that the decision was announced by the former Soviet State itself. The state is also sponsoring this event.
“The race will be on a street circuit around the capital Baku and incorporate its medieval old city, modern skyline and a view across the Caspian Sea.”
All that is left to do is to clean up few more activists, advocates, human rights defenders, anti-government groups and downtown Baku will be nice and ready to host the event. Perhaps its a sign? Two more years, and there will be no one left to tell the stories of real Azerbaijan?
But at least for the Formula 1 people these are certainly not the topics they want to talk about. Take for instance,
Christian Horner
, Infiniti Red Bull Racing Team Principal who snapped at the journalists during a press conference when questions about the internal political dynamics of the host countries began to pop. “Its becoming a very depressing press conference as we’re only focusing on the negatives […] All the people sitting here are racers and they’re here because they’re passionate about the sport and they want to compete” said Horner, also adding that it was up to FIA to decide which races were unnecessary to attend, shifting the focus to the amazing racers rather than the host country’s reputation.
The race according to Andrew Benson’s words will serve as yet another attempt at boosting the country’s global profile. And boost it will for sure at least briefly for the time of the race.
Only that, Azerbaijan’s global profile isn’t just about the glamor and the glitz and about racing cars, someone will have to carry the responsibility of all the recent crackdowns and the country’s dismal human rights record even if the country’s other records aren’t so dismal.
