True gateway between Europe and the East, Azerbaijan is taking full advantage of its unique economic expansion. Baku, the capital, has in less than 20 years become a true city of lights where day merges into night and classical antiquity is harmoniously united with more modern architectural constructions. The Baku World Challenge offers you an exceptional journey into a country, which has made the choice to open out towards Europe.
Key figures
• Limited to 30 GT cars
> All cars taking part in the last three rounds of the FIA GT Series prior to the Baku round
> The winning team from the Gentlemen Trophy in the 2013 Blancpain Endurance Series
> The winning team from the Pro Am Class in the 2013 Blancpain Endurance Series
> The winning team from the Pro Class in the 2013 Blancpain Endurance Series
> The winning team from the 2013 British GT Championship
> 2 guest cars at the discretion of the Event Promoter
• Winners are awarded a prize of €175,000 :
> 1st € 100,000
> 2nd € 50,000
> 3rd € 25,000
• 15 historical F1s
• 750 people will fly from Paris, London and Düsseldorf
• 28 m3 and 3500 kg allocated per vehicle in the Boeing 747, which will transport them from Europe
to Baku
The “Baku World Challenge”
A. Overview
By making the race the final event of the FIA GT Series Championship (the international championship for GT cars), the promoters wanted to establish the Baku World Challenge as an essential event from the outset.
This 4,380 kilometer urban circuit has been designed along the length of the Caspian Sea. It will be centred around the symbol of both country and city, the national flag, one of the tallest in the world, and will run alongside the Crystal Hall, a magnificent building, which hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012, explain both Jean-François Chaumont and Renaud Jeanfils at once.
The two organisers promise us a technical circuit, with wide turns and fast corners, which will run through the old city, water and port in the backdrop. Designing a city circuit is never a simple task adds Jean-François. One can easily be faced with a circuit without sporting interest. But this one will be a true driver’s circuit, where the cars are subject to high-speed and grip situations – it will be a true technical circuit !
Given the magnitude of the prizes to be awarded at the end of the race, the level of difficulty of the circuit , and the position of the Baku World Challenge in the Championship, the promoters are promissing us something truly special.
On top of the prizes, each team will also receive a starting prize package of €20,000 / per car, along with full payment of any airfreight expenses : plane tickets, hotels, dining.
Finally, during the weekend itself, to pack some extra punch, titillation and ramp up the volume, above all for these GT cars, we are adding a historical Formula 1 race. This will mean that from the very streets of the Azerbaijan capital, you’ll be able to hear the roaring of motors from cars that raged anywhere between 1966 and 1985. A few F1 drivers from the era will also be found for the occasion.
Stephane Ratel, Founder and CEO of SRO Motorsports Group : Completing the first season of the FIA GT Series with such a spectacular event will be a well-deserved reward for our regular competitors. We are also pleased to offer winners from other SRO-promoted series the possibility to join our regular entrants at this new fixture. All the SRO team is enthusiastic to discover a fast-growing city like Baku.
B. The promoters
Renaud Jeanfils has been working for over 20 years in the automotive sports industry or with sports-related events. Jean-François Chaumont has been passionate about automotive sports from a Young age. He launched his career in organising automotive sports events including the “Total 24 Hours of Spa” held at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, this year celebrating its 65th edition.
C. History
The idea of the Baku World Challenge was first conceived in November 2012, following a phone-call from ex-F1 champion, Thierry Boutsen. He asked me to come see him in Monaco because he had something to show me explains Jean-François. At the time, I didn’t know where Azerbaijan was, much less Baku. So I did some research, set up a file and spoke to my friend Renaud, who turned out to be very motivated by the idea.
Less than a month later, the driver and the organiser were to be found in the streets of the Azerbaijan capital : It was a winter’s night when I arrived. Thierry and myself were in the car. I discovered a city on the water’s edge, and its lights blew me away, such a magical world of colour. To me, it was like a Monaco times ten in terms of grandeur. Every time I go back, I discover evermore-interesting facets and human values through the relationships that I ‘ve forged with the people there. In two words : it’s magical !
Renaud adds : since then, and each time we go back, we discover something new. In 2012, with Azerbaijan’s growing willingness to open up towards the West becoming increasingly evident, the local authorities decided to host the first edition of the Baku City Challenge, the nation’s first real contact with the world of auto racing. With the second Baku World Challenge, the will of the country and particularly the city of Baku to be defined as a people with a desire to count in this area is clear.
Automotive sports are not yet a part of their culture for one simple reason : they don’t have any drivers yet. It is our mission to develop and help the people to learn to love a discipline that they do not yet really understand. Naturally, the two Belgians commend their Azeri partners who have given them incredible resources with which to ensure the event’s success. Due to its natural wealth of oil and gas, Azerbaijan is an emerging country, which will soon become an indispensable Partner to Europe in all areas.
D. The Baku World Challenge in facts
• More than 50,000 spectators
• A multitude of animations across the city on October 18th
• A VIP area of 850 sq. on the roof top of the Golden Coast hotel located within the circuit
Baku – a millennium capital
Baku is one of these cities whose face is evolving on a daily basis. Sustained by a strong economic growth, its flurry of construction and improvements of every kind is rivalled only by the speed of arrival of new international investors.
Everything is bright, accentuated in neon; the Maiden Tower in the old city, with its baroque façades from the Haussmann-Moorish buildings constructed at the end of the 19th century, embodies an impressive combination of historical presence and superb economic renewal.
If today, new modern architectural complexes, rivalling one another in originality, seem to endlessly emerge from the earth, if cars and luxury boutiques blossom at the heart of the Azeri capital, this has not always been the case.
The centre of Baku comprises the old walled city, with its narrow, winding streets. In December 2000, this centre, along with its Maiden Tower (Qiz Qalasi) and Palace of the Shirvanshahs was also listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, becoming the first place in Azerbaijan to be listed as a world heritage site.
As for the modern city, it stretches out from the walls of the old city, its streets and buildings climbing to the top of the hills bordering the bay of Baku.
Source : Baku World Challenge