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Bernie: we're going to Azerbaijan!


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#1 alfa1

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 09:43

Frankly not sure if this is :

- April 1st joke that got published too soon,

- he's actually serious,

- its just another stupid thing he says from time to time to get F1 into the papers.

 

 

Sportsmail understands Briatore, who has been called the ‘Bling King of Azerbaijan’ after opening his couture business Billionaire in the capital Baku, will pocket a seven- figure bonus for acting as a linkman in the creation of the new race.

‘We’re going to Azerbaijan,’ confirmed Ecclestone

 

http://www.dailymail...Azerbaijan.html

 



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#2 Slackbladder

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 09:53

If true Bernie gone cray-cray..



#3 Seanspeed

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 09:55

Its always been a huge shame that we haven't had a race in Azerbaijan with their rich motorsport history. I imagine this will be a huge success, will create sellout races and will probably be a mainstay on the calendar for many, many years to come.

#4 GlenP

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 09:56

Why is this crazy? Baku is an important place. OK, for similar reasons Bahrain is.



#5 Lights

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 09:56

Fantastic, this is exactly what the sport needed. Let's suck 'm dry for 8 years and then move to Iran.



#6 dau

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 09:56

Frankly not sure if this is :

[...]

- its just another stupid thing he says from time to time to get F1 into the papers.

What? From Bernie, Briatore and the Daily Mail? That's preposterous. This is clearly a thing that is going to happen and needs to be analysed comprehensively.


Edited by dau, 05 March 2014 - 09:57.


#7 DinocoBlue

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 09:57

We've been here before. Bernie's "We're going there" is a world apart from a signed contract of intent, let alone an actual honest to goodness F1 race.



#8 Murdoch

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 09:57

Either:-

 

He's putting pressure on the current circuits or

 

He's diverting attention away from 'something else' (smoke and mirrors)

 

This is a non story.



#9 Markn93

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 09:59

You may be Bernie but I doubt many will follow. 



#10 Donkey

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 10:03

Azerbaijan have hosted important events such as Eurovision before...

 

By this logic:

 

2016 - F1 in Azerbaijan

2017 - Sweden

2018 - Denmark

 

Scandinavians are probably overdue an F1 race.



#11 Jovanotti

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 10:06

This is a non story.

Not necessarily:
 

 

Spiegel.de:

 

"Aserbaidschans Sportminister, Azad Rahimov, nannte Spekulationen über eine Vertragsunterzeichnung indes "vorzeitig". Die Gespräche der Gesellschaft Baku Grand Prix seien aber in einer abschließenden Phase, sagte Rahimov der Agentur "Trend.az".

 

Azerbaijan sports minister Azad Rahimov called speculations about the signing of a contract "premature", but talks of the Baku Grand Prix Association are in the closing phase."


Edited by Jovanotti, 05 March 2014 - 10:08.


#12 DinocoBlue

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 10:06

Azerbaijan have hosted important events such as Eurovision before...

 

 

Well what they did to host the ESC shows that they could probably very well host a race in Baku. It'd just be another "throw money at it and get it done" exercise.

 

And Baku is also bidding to host the '24 Olympics....


Edited by DinocoBlue, 05 March 2014 - 10:07.


#13 Felix

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 10:06

That story is two weeks old at least, first broke here:

http://www.motorspor...u-14022210.html

Stick it thru google translate

#14 froggy22

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 10:08

Ah, I remember reading an article a couple years ago. Azerbaijan want to build the worlds tallest skyscraper and part of the plan for the complex was for it to have an F1 race track around it. Thought it was bizarre at the time but tbf they have started building the tower.

 

But i'll believe it when i see it, aren't we supposed to be going to New Jersey, Mexico and Thailand.

 

http://www.digitaltr...orlds-tallest/#!yusmx

 



#15 DinocoBlue

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 10:08

Don't forget that GT series has been there...

 



#16 GlenP

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 10:09

Somebody answer seriously - what is worse about going to Baku, vs Bahrain?



#17 Jovanotti

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 10:10

Well I can definitely see this one coming if Bernie makes it past 90.

 

article-2243950-16622F94000005DC-896_468



#18 DinocoBlue

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 10:13

Somebody answer seriously - what is worse about going to Baku, vs Bahrain?

 

 

Well you do have a point....



#19 Diablobb81

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 10:16

There is only one place where he should go.


Edited by Diablobb81, 05 March 2014 - 10:17.


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#20 Seanspeed

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 10:20

Somebody answer seriously - what is worse about going to Baku, vs Bahrain?

Absolutely nothing. Its just another annoying cash-in for Bernie where an oil country with no motorsport heritage uses their money extravagantly to buy an F1 race, likely threatening the security of one of the more well established races.

#21 Jon83

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 10:20

I always wondered why we never had a race there.



#22 jjcale

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 10:21

Somebody answer seriously - what is worse about going to Baku, vs Bahrain?

 

Put that way Baku is probably better politically - but they are not as dumb as the Bahrainis or as committed to Motorsport .... so all in all Bahrain is better for "F1" as they are bigger dopes (and possibly deeper pockets)*

 

 

* I cant believe I just said that :(  



#23 boldhakka

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 10:21

Somebody answer seriously - what is worse about going to Baku, vs Bahrain?

 

Well, in general, there's a bigger western expat population in Bahrain and nearby Middle-eastern states. 



#24 GlenP

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 10:29

I only went to Baku once, and that ver 20 years ago, but the ex pat population is not small. All the major oil companies have a massive presence there, plus all the other companies deriving from that business. There is a huge tourist trade with Middle East/Arab countries, with gambling and drinking being big attractions. Not saying any of that is good, but it is not worse than dealing with Bahrain. As for motorsport tradition - that doesn't really come into it either. Singapore, Malaysia, China…

 

I think the original sniff about Azerbaijan is just that it is a funny sounding foreign country. It is actually strategically hugely important and that's why there is a lot of money there.



#25 Richard T

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 10:35

I dont like racing in countries that doesn't respect human rights  :well:

 

That Baku GT track looks absolutely lethal  :drunk:



#26 Kristian

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 10:45

They have a horrific human rights record, and their President one of the most corrupt in Eurasia according to some observers, which is quite a feat in the former soviet republics. 

 

Sounds like a perfect place for F1. 

 

On a serious note, it is a rich, booming country so on the surface it would be a place for F1 to 'break new ground', and a very unusual destination. As long as it replaces Bahrain or something, and not the likes of Germany (in the same article he says he can't see a future for that race). 



#27 Lazy

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 10:57

I've a feeling that all the scumbags are grabbing all the cash they can from the sport whist they still have control. Pretty much the financial world is doing before they get rumbled.



#28 Lazy

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 10:59

Seriously, scumbags gets autocensored?



#29 Lazy

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 11:00

ffs



#30 Group B

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 11:00

The man is quite clearly bat **** crazy, and pathologically obsessed with making more money than he'll ever have time to spend. It would be sad were it not so irksome.



#31 Group B

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 11:04

ffs

 

It's the new demon word; I notice on repeats of old TV shows that s..., p..., and several others are still present but the b word is increasingly bleeped out.



#32 SenorSjon

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 11:06

I dont like racing in countries that doesn't respect human rights  :well:

 

That Baku GT track looks absolutely lethal  :drunk:

 

Lol. If human rights are a factor, you could never have a F1 race. Every country has some HR issue, some more concerning than others though.



#33 ensign14

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 11:09

It might not be the best of places to have a race.  Terrorists attacked some company that was building an oil pipeline too close to an Orthodox shrine.  They moved the pipeline, but those making the decision were attacked by paragliding skiers, then the caviar factory got bisected by one of those helicopter-borne arboreal trimmer things.  Even then the pipeline still got blown up by a nuclear bomb with the plutonium removed. 



#34 Lazy

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 11:10

Some have better propaganda than others , that's the main difference.



#35 EthanM

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 11:10

Why not? They 're nouveau riche and the way things are going over in the Ukraine they might soon be heating up half of Europe with their natural gas



#36 Claudius

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 11:17

Next thing you know Kazakhstan will host a race as well, with Borat being one of the journalist in the paddock. 

Great succes!!



#37 Anja

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 11:22

I can't see how this is any different from Bahrain or Abu Dhabi. They have the money and that's it.



#38 Lazy

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 11:31

It's the new demon word; I notice on repeats of old TV shows that s..., p..., and several others are still present but the b word is increasingly bleeped out.

It wasn't the b word, it was s--mbags, it appears that bags is ok, it's the s--m that is the problem :D



#39 Group B

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 11:35

It wasn't the b word, it was s--mbags, it appears that bags is ok, it's the s--m that is the problem :D

 

Lol, well that's even more lame, especially given the primary meaning is perfectly harmless and legitimate.



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#40 Lazy

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 11:45

Indeed.



#41 Smile17

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 11:58

Some have better propaganda than others , that's the main difference.

 

:up:



#42 nosecone

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 12:06

Bernie is going to Azerbaijan. I suppose Azerbaijan doesn't have extradition treaty with GB or Germany.

 

I think with "we" he doens't mean the F1.



#43 ViMaMo

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 12:08

If turkey can host a wonderful circuit why not its neighbors eh? Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan? As long as the circuit is spa/suzuka like, it shouldn't be a problem. 



#44 chunder27

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 12:12

Nothing to do with anything but money

 

Oh and the fact that Flav is invovled and stands to reap a nice sum out of it going there!



#45 HoldenRT

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 12:23

You wot m8?



#46 GT Racing Online Magazine

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 12:26

Keeping costs down, eh... For those comparing Bahrain and Baku, the logistical costs of travelling to Baku with the circus is in a completely different sphere.



#47 Miggeex

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 12:28

Why not to race there? Idea is to bring it to place where people don't know too much about it yet.

 

F1 is business and obviously they're seeing some potential to make money there. 

 

Whenever Bernie says something it's like instant hate towards the idea by some once again  :lol:

 

I wouldn't like to see any more street-races in the calendar though so that's not good sounding. And why aren't they finishing off all the other tracks that are planned? At this rate there will be 30 races next season and nobody got time for that.



#48 stanga

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 12:35

I think the original sniff about Azerbaijan is just that it is a funny sounding foreign country. It is actually strategically hugely important and that's why there is a lot of money there.

 

Keep your prejudices to yourself. Who are you to judge why people think the idea is daft?



#49 Coops3

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 12:49

Its always been a huge shame that we haven't had a race in Azerbaijan with their rich motorsport history. I imagine this will be a huge success, will create sellout races and will probably be a mainstay on the calendar for many, many years to come.

Who says sarcasm doesn't work on the Internet? :)



#50 noikeee

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 12:57

I'm not very surprised, the Azeris are doing a lot of work sponsoring sports to promote the idea they're part of the civilized world, see their sponsoring of Atlético Madrid, see the FIA GT race, see the bids for the Olympics, etc.
 
Can't see how this is any worse than Bahrain & co. except for the record-breaking corruption record. Could well be a serious project although with Bernie you never know, he's always playing possible new venues against each other to bump up the prices.