Baku still eyeing June return around Euro 2020 host duties

The promoter of Formula 1’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix says the event is still eyeing a return to a June date, but that it is complicated by its impending host status of Euro 2020.

Baku joined the Formula 1 roster in 2016 with a mid-June date but last year switched to becoming the fourth round in late April, a position it has retained for 2019.

Azerbaijan recently signed a new deal to remain on the Formula 1 calendar until 2023.

Baku will be one of the host cities for the Euro 2020 football championships, with matches due to take place in the city on June 13, June 17, June 21 and July 4.

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“It’s a bit complicated for us, specifically for next year because we’re hosting the three group games and one quarter-final for the European football championship,” said promoter Arif Rahimov on Thursday.

“And we [the grand prix] want to be in June as well, so we’re trying to figure out if there is a slot where we can fit in. We would want to move back to June.

“The weather is a bit more predictable, the build-up is easier, you have less winds, less rains. It’s warmer overall. But we’ll see.”

Rahimov believes that working the grand prix around Baku’s Euro 2020 games would be beneficial for the city.

“It’s good to have it to create this festival feeling for three weeks,” he explained.

“I think given the logistical restrictions of Formula 1 we kind of have to stick to some guidelines to see whether we can actually make it happen.

“We have traditionally Canada in June, we have European races coming in in June like France, so it just needs to make sense logistically.

“It’s not up to us, F1 has to sort out how they move things from one race to another.

“We are a flyaway race and traditionally there were no flyaways [in the summer].

“I don’t know if they are going to arrange something different for next year to help this happen but I think it’s time to start thinking about it, because if we are looking at 22-24 races on the calendar then you have to be prepared for all kinds of different scenarios.”