Red Bull To End Air Race World Championship

Red Bull has elected to close its Air Race World Championship following the current 2019 season after the energy drinks manufacturer stated it has struggled to secure the level of “outside interest” enjoyed by other sports events it organises.

Red Bull Air Race launched in 2003 and had been due to stage eight events in 2019. However, this season’s calendar will also be cut in half following Red Bull’s decision.

Abu Dhabi hosted the season’s opening race on February 8-9. The Championship’s final races will now be held in Kazan, Russia (June 15-16); Lake Balaton, Hungary (July 13-14); and Chiba, Japan (September 7-8).

A 2019 calendar published in January originally included eight events, including races set for Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the US on October 19-20 and an unnamed location in Saudi Arabia on November 8-9. Two additional events in Europe and Asia were also listed as ‘to be announced’.

Red Bull said in a statement: “There have been more than 90 races since Red Bull Air Race began in 2003. These have given the world’s most exceptional pilots the opportunity to compete in high speed flying at low altitude with extreme manoeuvres. The Red Bull Air Race provided sports entertainment of highest quality but did not attract the level of outside interest as many other Red Bull events across the world.”

The news of Red Bull Air Race’s demise has been met with disappointment from organisers of fellow air racing series, Air Race 1. The series is planning to launch the world’s first ever electric air race, Air Race E, next year and Jeff Zaltman, CEO and Founder, said the organisation is still firmly committed to its business plan.

Zaltman said: “The announcement that Red Bull Air Race will not continue beyond the 2019 season is sad news not only for the pilots, teams and fans that put so much effort into that iconic series, but the wider aviation community as a whole.

“Air racing can be a demanding and logistically challenging sport and one that requires a lot of time and dedication from everyone involved. Red Bull Air Race set the standard for air racing development and provided a platform for highly skilled pilots to compete in a professional competition to put on an impressive spectacle for its global fans.

“Air Race 1 events will remain a regular fixture of the air racing calendar and is still the only international air race series where pilots fly wing tip-to-wing tip in what is known as formula one air racing. We are due to announce the next Air Race 1 event and other exciting news soon, as we continue to grow towards our long-term strategy of becoming a mainstream sport.

“In addition, we have just announced the formal bidding process for venues interested in hosting the world’s first ever electric air race, Air Race E, next year. This will be the first in a series of international electric air racing events aimed at accelerating and promoting the development of cleaner, faster and more technologically-advanced electric engines.”