F1 Goes To Azerbaijan and Mexico

The 2016 F1 season might bring us 21 Grand Prix races, two more than what fans get to enjoy now. Bernie Ecclestone has revealed that the capital of oil-rich Azerbaijan, Baku, will be added to the F1 map, on top of the recent addition of the Mexican Grand Prix, which will start from 2015.

However, consent is still required from F1’s leading teams. The top three teams – McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari – had it written into their agreements with F1 that majority consent from them is required if there are more than 20 races in a season. More races incur higher costs, and keep the teams, most of which are based in the UK, away from home for longer.

If the Baku GP is green-lighted, it would follow in Singapore’s footstep, which first hosted the race on a street track in 2008. Baku’s street track would be set against a backdrop of the Caspian Sea, its modern skyline and parts of the old city – the perfect PR and tourism campaign for the country.

image: dentons.com