Baku, May 24, AZERTAC

Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC) and Baku City Circuit (BCC) Operating Company have signed an agreement, making the agency an official media partner of Formula 1 European Grand Prix.

The agreement was signed by Azerbaijani Minister of Youth and Sports, head of the BCC Azad Rahimov and AZERTAC Director General Aslan Aslanov. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister Rahimov said: “We are happy to have partnered with Azerbaijan`s State News Agency, whose history spans almost a century.” He applauded the agency`s role in promoting Formula 1 Grand Prix of Europe. Mr Rahimov said that under the agreement AZERTAC would provide an extensive coverage of the sporting event in several languages. “We will not only organize a spectacular race in Baku this year, but also promote our capital and national culture through this sporting event. We express our gratitude to AZERTAC Director General and the agency's team that will support us in this honorable endeavor," Minister Rahimov said.

AZERTAC Director General Aslanov said the agency covers preparations for Formula 1 Grand Prix of Europe on a regular basis. “We involved our experienced reporters and photo journalists in the coverage, producing news in seven languages.”

Stressing the importance of the partnership agreement, Mr Aslanov described it as a significant event in the life of the agency. “AZERTAC has rich experience and substantial staff potential for highlighting prestigious sporting events. Last year AZERTAC provided the excellent coverage of the first ever European Games, of which the agency was the official media partner, both inside the country and across the world.” He said: “AZERTAC actively promotes Formula 1 race to be held in Baku through the world's largest news alliances, of which we are members, as well as through more than 130 partner agencies. AZERTAC has mobilized all its resources for ensuring the excellent possible coverage of the European Grand Prix. We will do our utmost to cope with this mission and promote this spectacular event not only in Azerbaijan, but across the world," Mr Aslanov added.

The event then featured a question and answer session.

Under the agreement, AZERTAC will have the advantage of covering events of BCC Operating Company and publish weekly materials about the teams and pilots of Formula 1 in order to highlight the importance of the event.

The signing ceremony was attended by Director General of Bulgarian BTA agency Maxim Minchev and first Deputy Director General of the Russian TASS news agency Mikhail Gusman.