The project's ambition didn't stop there; it aimed to host a Formula 1 race around the £1.5 billion Azerbaijan Tower, the centrepiece of the islands intended to be the tallest building in the world.

The enigmatic tower is recognised as a key symbol of Baku and appears on Azerbaijan’s currency. Nearby, the Palace of the Shirvanshahs is a masterpiece of 15th Century Azerbaijani architecture ...