00:00We regularly host cultural festivals, exhibitions, concerts and public events
00:05so the Old City is already a vibrant meeting place for residents and visitors.
00:11Formula One, however, creates something unique.
00:17Cars, cameras, action.
00:19For the past 10 years Baku has transformed into a racetrack
00:22for arguably the most famous racing competition in the world
00:25and the Old City is within walking distance of the circuit.
00:30You hear the sound of Formula One cars and just a few meters away
00:35you enter narrow streets that have existed for centuries.
00:40It's a unique dialogue between antiquity and modern world
00:45and very few Formula One destinations can offer that experience.
00:58It's Formula One's 10th anniversary and it is celebrating in style.
01:04The event draws international fans and tourists to the capital
01:07and their spending expands into hospitality, retail and tourism.
01:12For most businesses, race weekend is quite different from the rest of the year.
01:24Actually, if we can discuss from the tourism perspective
01:28in 2025, in September, we have welcomed nearly 230,000 visitors.
01:36Out of that, there was 90,000 spectators of Formula One in that one week in 2025
01:42and total tourist bills was summed up nearly 300 million manat.
01:47Hospitality is one of the sectors to feel the effects of Formula One.
01:51Talking with the direct job creation, in 2025, 2,000 people was involved in the building procedure of the circuit
01:58and in the race week, we had 1,500 staff members, nearly 2,000 volunteers
02:05and 1,400 marshals which were directly involved on that day.
02:11Demand starts well before the cars take to the track.
02:14And for some businesses, it means fully booked rooms and a greater number of international clientele.
02:20People book a year in advance.
02:22And then later, there comes the staff, the workers.
02:26Then it comes the actual fans, three weeks out, two weeks out.
02:30This year in particular, we have some last minute bookers as well.
02:33Visually, you can see the excitement and the vibe, the ambience and the city changes.
02:39We're always proud to say Baku is clean, Baku is safe, Baku is green.
02:44And then when you add this kind of ambience and energy, Baku becomes irresistible.
02:50The boulevard is home to the fans and it is one of the busiest areas over the course of the
02:56weekend.
02:56And business is booming.
02:59A Grand Prix is not simply just about watching the race anymore for many people.
03:04It's about being part of that F1 experience.
03:07And people here certainly look like they're enjoying every second.
03:21This is our first time on the fan zone, actually.
03:24So, yeah, it's really great.
03:26It was cool to see the cars.
03:27The experience of just being here, the people, the food and everything that goes on the track,
03:33the entertainment, the drivers.
03:36It's just an amazing experience and to be here is such a privilege.
03:40Since I was a kid, I was watching Formula One on the TV and I thought like,
03:45wow, Formula One must be insane.
03:47And then it came to Baku and I was like, oh my God, it came to Baku.
03:55For this edition of F1, every effort was made by Baku City Circuit organizers to ensure the fans and competitors
04:02were catered for.
04:05Each year, more than 1,000 people are involved in event operations and delivering the paddock and also temporary grandstands
04:13they are building around the track.
04:15And in the last three years, we can see four new grandstands built.
04:19And now the capacity of the grandstands is 21,000.
04:25And each year, we can see more and more tourists coming to Baku.
04:29And I would say it is more than the race for Azerbaijan.
04:32It is a very good platform for the tourism, for human capital and the promotion of the country.
04:41The 10th edition of the Grand Prix in Azerbaijan attracted thousands of fans and tourists.
04:45But as a permanent fixture in the racing calendar, one can assume that preparations for the 11th edition will be
04:51well underway soon.
