Charlie Whiting judges Baku to be on the right track
With just over a month to go before the European Grand Prix in Baku, Charlie Whiting has declared himself satisfied with the progress he has seen.
With each new stage of the Formula One Circus, the question of track preparation arises. One can recall very tense situations, as was the case in South Korea when the construction was only completed two weeks before the race.
Other destinations have experienced fewer problems, such as Austin. Baku therefore seems to follow the same trend, which is facilitated by the fact that it is an urban circuit and not a permanent circuit.
Charlie Whiting, the FIA race director, expressed his satisfaction regarding the progress of the work: « The circuit will be ready. You can see the quality of all the infrastructures you are looking at. My next trip to Baku will be in early June and I expect to say that everything will be ready by then. It will be a fascinating F1 race. »
The organizers also took the opportunity to promote their circuit in the heart of the capital by releasing a 3D video. They estimate that the maximum speed at the end of the straight could reach 340 km/h, making it the fastest urban circuit on the calendar.
But that doesn’t prevent one from wondering if this race will have future editions, since the country is currently plunged into a severe financial and economic crisis, caused by the collapse of oil prices, which was the source of the small country’s prosperity. Discussions are said to have taken place in the Bahrain paddock to consider canceling the 2016 edition, before Bernie Ecclestone opposed it with a firm and definitive veto.
With the participation of www.racingbusiness.fr
