Tilke: Baku, the fastest urban circuit

Azerbaijan will host for the first time the F1 by organizing the European Grand Prix contested on June 19 in Baku. This event will have the particularity of being contested in the streets of the capital, but the speeds reached by the single-seaters should make it one of the most spectacular events on this type of track according to the words of Hermann Tilke, the designer of the modern circuits of the discipline.

“Baku will be the fastest street circuit. Its route around the historic center of the city will create a unique and remarkable atmosphere for spectators on site or behind their TV., commented the German architect. “This will be one of the most exciting events of the season. It is not comparable to a permanent circuit, but it remains unique even compared to other routes in town. »

The main difficulty for the organizers is to carry out the work without the task being too disruptive for the residents. “We had to be able to design a track that was F1 compliant. Street circuits are always difficult to set up because the team must build a track inside the city. Several problems emerge during the design, but we solved them all jointly with the Baku City Circuit team”, added the engineer.

The European Grand Prix was uncertain following the country's economic difficulties following the drop in oil prices, but the organizers quickly reacted by ensuring that the event would be maintained.

Discover our report on the Baku circuit in the AUTOhebdo F1 2016 Guide.