DEC. 2 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) — >> Why was Azerbaijan so keen to have the European Grand Prix renamed? Why is this important to President Aliyev?
>> It’s a PR thing. Azerbaijan lobbied hard to host one of Formula One’s Grand Prix races. It was given the so-called European Grand Prix to host this year in Baku, a race that was generally seen as a success. The course wound its way through the old town of Baku, creating a real test for the drivers and a spectacle for the spectators. The organisers of the F1 series were keen to repeat the course next year and so were the Azerbaijani authorities. They insisted though that the European Grand Prix title gives way to Azerbaijan Grand Prix. F1 is one of the most watched sports in the world. Having its name on a Grand Prix will help Azerbaijan’s brand. Or at least that is what the Azerbaijani authorities think.
>> Okay, but what is the European Grand Prix? I thought that most of the races were named after their host country.
>> You’re right, most of the races are named after the host country but there has been a European Grand Prix for decades. It was originally an honorific title but as the sport professionalised it became a way for F1 to award more than one race to a single country. In essence they could host their own national F1 Grand Prix plus the European Grand Prix. The race disappeared after 2013 but was revived in 2016 for Baku.
>> Makes sense to name each race after their host country, if you ask me. Why, though, is Azerbaijan is so keen to host a Grand Prix? Is must be expensive.
>> It is very expensive, although the Azerbaijani authorities were coy on how much they spent putting the Grand Prix on. We do know, though, that it caused major problems for local residents who had to deal with street closures around the event. Hosting a Grand Prix is seen as a high point in Azerbaijan’s drive to promote itself through sport. It has sponsored the Atletico Madrid football team, with the slogan: “Azerbaijan: Land of Fire”, staged the 2015 European Games in Baku and is one of the host countries for the 2020 European Football Championships. Sponsoring the Atletico Madrid shirt was considered a success for Azerbaijan as the team reached the Champions League Final in 2014. They lost the match 4-1 to arch rivals Real Madrid. The Europeans Games were less successful. The Games proved unpopular with both spectators and athletes, with mainly second string athletes competing. A bus also crashed into a group of Austrian synchronised swimmers inside the Olympic Village shortly before the start of the Games, badly injuring three of them.
>> That’s quite an impressive range of sports that Azerbaijan has been hosting and supporting. What about their national teams? How do they stack up?
>> Other then wrestling, weightlifting and boxing, not great. The football team is ranked at 90th in the world, just behind Kenya but ahead of Togo. Azerbaijan has always been considered a global chess power, though.
>> And, finally, back to the European Grand Prix of 2015. Who won it?
>> German Nico Rosberg won the race in his Mercedes. He went on to win the Formula One Championships. The 31-year-old quit racing shortly afterwards, though, so he wont be back in Baku to defend his victory.
ENDS
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(News report from Issue No. 307, published on Dec. 2 2016)
