Charles Leclerc & Max Verstappen Support Baku City Circuit’s ‘Think Green’ Initiative at the 2021 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Pole-sitter at the Home of the Street Fighters helps BCC mark World Environment Day 2021

Scuderia Ferrari driver, Charles Leclerc & Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen, today joined the Azerbaijani Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Mukthar Babayev and Executive Director of Baku City Circuit (BCC), Arif Rahimov, to mark World Environment Day 2021 and to support the Promoter of the 2021 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix’s Think Green initiative. 

Fresh from securing a masterful pole position ahead of tomorrow’s fifth instalment of the hugely popular F1 race on the sport’s wildest and most unpredictable street circuit, Charles Leclerc, combined with Verstappen – who himself finished in third position in today’s dramatic Qualifying session -  alongside Mukthar Babayev & Arif Rahimov to plant a Cypress Tree in the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Paddock to showcase BCC’s ongoing commitment to creating a better, greener future.

BCC’s Think Green initiative was launched in late 2019 with a view to vastly expand the use of sustainable materials at its future race weekends as well as to provide opportunities for other businesses and causes in Baku to get more involved in reducing waste in the lead up to and during the F1 race weekends in Azerbaijan’s capital city. In doing so, it echoes Formula 1’s own sustainability programme – also unveiled in 2019 – that includes plans to have all its events be entirely sustainable by 2025. 

Today’s tree planting also mirrors the circuit’s continuing efforts in the past 2 years to plant more trees across the city and encourage a greener, more sustainable lifestyle amongst its staff, suppliers and followers. 

Speaking at the ceremony, Arif Rahimov commented: “It is a great honour to have Charles Leclerc & Max Verstappen support us here today on the eve of our fifth Formula 1 race in beautiful Baku. We share many common goals with everyone working in F1 and none more so than our passionate commitment to delivering a greener and more sustainable future for our next generations to enjoy. We at BCC believe that it is incumbent on all of us to do our part to help reduce the devastating damage that climate change is inflicting upon our beautiful planet. So, as we prepare for another incredible race tomorrow, we also encourage you all to not only Think Green but to Act Green and join the fight against waste and do everything in our powers to ensure a brighter future.”