Baku City Circuit today confirmed it will be delivering four action-packed days of entertainment to all ticket holders attending the inaugural Formula 1 race in Baku, Azerbaijan.,

Starting on Thursday 16th June, all entertainment zones along the Baku Boulevard, from Azneft Square to the Sea Terminal, will open at 14:00 to all ticketholders. From Friday the 17th through Sunday the 19th, Baku City Circuit itself will officially be open to the public from 10:00.

Autograph Sessions & Pit Lane Walk

Thursday will also see the first of the ever-popular F1 Drivers’ Autograph Sessions taking place on the F1 Village Stage from approximately 16:50 onwards. Further autograph sessions will continue to take place throughout the Grand Prix weekend, with different teams participating each day. As this is a hugely popular activity, spectators are encouraged to arrive early to ensure they meet their favourite drivers. Specific timings for the F1 Autograph Sessions can be found at www.bakucitycircuit.com .

Another fan favourite - the Pit Lane Walk - will also take place on Thursday and is open to all Grandstand ticket holders. This activity enables fans to gaze into the heart of the sport as they walk down the Pit Lane and get an exclusive, up close look at the inner workings of Formula 1 teams as they prepare for the weekend’s racing. Fans wishing to gain access to the Pit Lane Walk, can do so from within the F1 Village, located next to the Absheron Grandstand.

Music:

Three of the biggest stars in world music - Chris Brown, Enrique Iglesias and Pharrell Williams - will be the headline musical acts throughout the weekend of the 2016 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE.

Friday night will see Chris Brown get the party started with one of his famous high energy shows that will set the tone for the rest of this incredible weekend of entertainment and sport. The American singer, songwriter and dancer will be performing some of his biggest tunes, including the likes of ‘Yeah3x’, ‘Look At Me Now’ and ‘Beautiful People” in front of thousands of F1 fans once the first day of racing has been completed on track.

Saturday night will see Enrique Iglesias take over with one of his electrifying concerts that have made him one of the most popular live performers on the planet. Famous for his many hits including ‘Hero’, ‘Bailamos’ and ‘I Like It”, the Spanish born singer is widely known as ‘The King of Latin Pop’ and he is sure to thrill the watching audience at the Baku City Circuit as soon as Qualifying has finished on-track.

A memorable weekend will be capped off on Sunday night when one of the biggest stars and most influential figures in world music, Pharrell Williams, takes to the Main Stage to close out the 2016 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE with one of his celebrated sets. The man behind some of the biggest hits in the history of music, including ‘Get Lucky’, ‘Happy’ and ‘Frontin’’ will deliver the perfect encore to Baku’s inaugural Formula 1 race weekend, just hours after the final car has crossed the finish line.

In addition, the entertainment stages will offer spectators a series of live performances throughout the weekend, from the likes of DJ Mansur, DJ Hazy, Roberto Kel Torres, Rilaya, Dilara Kazimova, Kenan Gadimov, Chingiz Mustafayev and Rast.

Culture:

Throughout the 2016 Formula 1 Grand Prix of Europe weekend, spectators will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the local Azerbaijani culture via a series of dedicated Cultural Lounges located along the Boulevard. From Friday, 17th June visitors will be able to learn first-hand the secrets of traditional Azerbaijani handicrafts: carpet-weaving, glass art, patchwork, ceramics, “shebekeh” lattice work, metalwork, woodcarving, miniature folk instruments, skull caps and shoes, embroidery and painted “kelaghayi” scarves. Traditional sweets and the famous Azerbaijani tea will be on offer here too.

A special art gallery will be on display throughout the race weekend. ‘The Grand Prix Gallery’ will bring together 100 stunning photographs from the more than 60-year history of the Formula 1 and be free to peruse for all ticket holders who wish to engage with and discover more about the history of the sport.

Children’s Entertainment

BCC has also made sure to cater its weekend entertainment programme for families with young children. As such, there will be a special children’s driving school for the youngest visitors to the race weekend, where they can learn the rules of the road in a fun, relaxed and inspiring atmosphere. For slightly older children, a specially equipped children’s karting track will allow them to race each other and hone their competitive driving skills.

Fan Engagement & Live Stunts

Visitors will also be able test their driving skills on race simulators located within the F1 Village and see what it feels like to live like a real Formula 1 driver. For those of a more energetic disposition, there are plenty of exciting attractions on offer, such as a vertical wind tunnel and climbing wall.

A host of entertainers will be on hand at all times to thrill all visitors to the 2016 Formula 1 Grand Prix of Europe, including the famous Mirror People, Spandy Andy, Titan the Robot, stilt-walkers and many more, while a host of talented street artists will amaze Formula 1 fans with specially made 3D illusions along the promenade.

Additionally, live sport demonstrations will take place along the boulevard all weekend featuring, amongst others, athletes performing stunts on trampolines and a half-pipe skate ramp.

Several additional surprises are also in store for extreme sports fans. A motorcycle stunt team will perform amazing tricks in a special metallic sphere, while there will also be a skate park, where professional athletes will delight fans with their virtuoso skate-boarding and roller-blading displays.

The 2016 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE weekend in Baku will offer spectators much more than just a race – it will also be an interactive, entertaining, inspiring and unforgettable leisure experience for the entire family.

Speaking about the entertainment programme for the 2016 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE, Baku City Circuit Executive Director, Arif Rahimov, commented: “We have prepared a truly unique, unrivalled cultural and entertainment  programme tailored to the needs of every visitor, a programme which won’t allow for a single a dull moment. I am sure that the Formula 1 and GP2 racing action and the variety of entertainment on offer along the beautiful Caspian seafront won’t leave a single attending F1 fan unmoved and will certainly make for an unforgettable festival of motor racing!”