Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed plans for the invention of a new F1 race in Azerbaijan.
The 83-year-old has continued to globalise the sport's calendar, with Turkey, China, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Malaysia added in recent years.
These venues have been included at the expense of traditional European nations and Azerbaijan looks set to be the next on the list, with capital city Baku hosting the race.
The F1 boss said today: "We're going to Azerbaijan. The people out there are talking about holding a race in 2015.
"That may be a bit soon - unless it's at the end of the season that's a possibility. But 2016 is more likely."
According to the Daily Mail, Ecclestone has been in close contact with old friend Flavio Briatore, who was his fellow director at QPR.
The Italian - who has been called the 'Bling King of Azerbaijan' - was sidelined from the sport after his Renault team fixed a race in 2008.
However, Ecclestone has used him as a linkman in creating the new Grand Prix, with Briatore set to pocket a seven-figure bonus as a result.
The F1 supremo also remains hopeful of staging the Russian Grand Prix at the Sochi Olympic Park in October.
But the race could be in jeopardy if the political situation continues in Ukraine, leaving oil-rich Azerbaijan as the sport's first destination in the former Soviet Union.
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