ABOUT
WHAT IS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AIR RACE?
Building on the legacy of the hugely popular Red Bull Air Race, World Championship Air Race will not only bring back the fastest, three-dimensional motorsport on the planet but create a challenging environment where competitors embrace the latest technological developments in Green Power and Advanced Aerial Mobility to push the envelope of the global Aviation Revolution.
Endorsed by the World Air Sports Federation, the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), and with a commitment to Innovation, Sustainability and Education, the World Championship Air Race will make its season debut in 2022.
Each WCAR event will include various classifications of competition.
Aero/GP1 – is a top tier competition involving 12 race teams competing in an elimination format across three rounds of racing.
Aero/GT – is a feeder competition involving 3 teams of multiple pilots competing in a Le Mans style of relay race with cumulative time determining the final results and allocation of world championship points awarded by the FAI.
VTOL/J – is a future classification that will introduce jet-powered race aircraft with a vertical take off and landing capability.
VTOL/E – is a future classification that will introduce electrically-powered race aircraft with a vertical take off and landing capability.
THE HISTORY
BUILDING ON THE LEGACY
Established in 2003, the official FAI endorsed Air Race World Championship was created by Red Bull GmbH as an international series of air races in which the fastest pilots in the world compete in a sprint competition to navigate a challenging course of air gates in the fastest time.
After presiding over 14 highly successful seasons of exhilarating air racing at iconic city locations all over the world, Red Bull took the decision to withdraw completely from organizing the sport in 2019 and no longer has any involvement in producing the race series.
2022 brings the long-awaited return of the official FAI endorsed Air Race World Championship, this time under the guise of the World Championship Air Race with a 15 year contract from the World Air Sports Federation to produce the series. Still involving some of the best pilots and race teams in the world, this new series brings together air racing legends from on and off the track to develop the sport and take air racing to new heights.
94 RACES, 21 COUNTRIES, 35 CITIES
HISTORIC STANDINGS
Historical results of the official FAI endorsed Air Race World Championship from 2003-2020
HISTORIC STANDINGS
Top 10 Results of the FAI endorsed Air Race World Championship 2019
1
MATT HALL
81 PTS
2
YOSHIHIDE MUROYA
80 PTS
3
MARTIN ŠONKA
68 PTS
4
BEN MURPHY
48 PTS
5
KIRBY CHAMBLISS
48 PTS
6
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PETE MCLEOD
48 PTS
7
NICOLAS IVANOFF
47 PTS
8
MIKAËL BRAGEOT
44 PTS
9
MICHAEL GOULIAN
42 PTS
10
JUAN VELARDE
39 PTS
INNOVATION
RACING INTO THE FUTURE
World Championship Air Race is working with a dream team of aerospace industry partners from around the world to ensure it brings the latest technological innovations resulting from the green aviation revolution to transform championship air racing.
As part of WCAR’s ambitious sustainability strategy that targets a net-zero carbon footprint by 2025, third-generation biofuels will play a major part in the championship. Starting the 2022 season with conventionally powered, legacy race-planes such as the Zivko Edge and the MXS, the Air Race is working with aerospace energy technology partners to embrace the latest developments in alternative, low-emission, renewable aviation fuels with a view to get to a 100% advanced, sustainable solution as soon as possible.
The Series will rapidly evolve its race aircraft through the staged evolution of advanced, sustainably powered drivetrains and the introduction of Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) capabilities to have an Electric-VTOL race classification competing in the series by Season 5.
After spending most of my life in the cockpit of 'conventional' planes, it is clear to me that we are now on the cusp of a defining new era in aviation; the most significant development since the invention of the jet engine in 1937. With the bringing together of advancements in green propulsion with developments in aerodynamics, avionics, flight control and autonomy, the enduring fantasy of a 'flying car' is now a reality and the Green Aviation Revolution has the potential to provide unprecedented accessibility to aerial utility transport for the masses, whether carrying commuting executives across downtown Manhattan or delivering medicines and aid to remote tribes in Papua New Guinea. The air race, with its unrivalled demand for high speed, high G-force, hyper-agile air vehicles provides a unique arena in which to put these innovations to the test and WCAR will use the racetrack to push the limits of aviation and the technology around it for the benefit of every man.
Fully embracing the Green Aviation Revolution, WCAR will grow with the sector and, as the FAI endorsed motorsport world championship, it will be at the cutting edge of aviation technology as the aerospace industry, regulators, operators and consumers transform the way people think of flying for ever. As the Race Series Director, I will be working with my hugely experienced and talented air race production team to make sure we use the series to adopt and promote these advances, providing brands and companies with a unique platform on which to develop future tech and innovation.
Willie Cruickshank, CEO of World Championship Air Race
SUSTAINABILITY
AN ECO-FRIENDLY SPORT
As a signatory to Sports for Global Climate Action Declaration United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), WCAR is an eco-friendly motorsport committed to achieving a net zero carbon footprint by Season 5.
World Championship Air Race is committed to undertaking systematic efforts to:
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Promote greater environmental responsibility
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Reduce overall climate impact
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Educate for climate action
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Promote sustainable and responsible consumption
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Advocate for climate action through communication
Alongside safety, environmental sustainability is a strategic driver at the heart of shaping World Championship Air Race organisational values and behaviour. The Series will follow a three-step strategy to achieve a net zero carbon footprint:
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Effective measurement of carbon output
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Prioritising reduction of the carbon footprint
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Offsetting remaining unavoidable emissions
During each season, the Event Sustainability Team will work with external consultants to calculate the Series' carbon footprint as part of its event life cycle assessment. The areas of activity that will be assessed include freight, staff travel, spectator travel, food and beverages, infrastructure, marketing, energy usage, vendor procurement and event partners.
Over the seasons, World Championship Air Race will continuously monitor and measure its environmental impact to understand where further improvement can be made. WCAR has calculated that its biggest impact on the climate will come from greenhouse gas emissions due to freight and transportation between the race locations. To reduce climate impact, the Series will optimise the race calendar to ship by boat and train rather than air freight wherever possible.
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AIR RACE HAS SIGNED A LETTER OF COMMITMENT TO THE UNITED NATIONS SPORTS FOR CLIMATE ACTION FRAMEWORK
EDUCATION
INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION
With unprecedented growth predicted across the aviation sector, it is important that WCAR uses the air race experience to excite, educate and inspire the next generation of aviation professionals. Working with experts in developing Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) programmes as well as those teaching specific Aviation Skills, we will use the air race as an exciting vehicle with which to attract the aerospace workforce of the future.
Before each event, World Championship Air Race and its education partners will engage with schools, colleges and universities in the local area to promote an aviation-inspired STEM project and competition.
A UNIQUE RACE EXPERIENCE
With a whole day of the event set aside to hosting student groups at the air race, a specific STEM Zone will be built within the Aviation Village where students can attend engineering workshops, interact with technology, and test their skills on the flight simulators.
Exclusive backstage access will offer students the unique opportunity to get up close and personal with pilots, planes and members of the technical team.
It's important that WCAR leaves an enduring impression so will provide scholarships at each host city to help create the next generation of aviation professionals – from designers and engineers to pilots and technicians.
REACH FOR THE SKIES
LEAVING A LEGACY
World Championship Air Race Academy
With a revolutionary approach to aviation underway, its important that WCAR change the way that future air race pilots are selected, trained and mentored. The WCAR Academy structure will offer ambitious and talented young pilots the chance to learn from industry professionals and, if they meet the criteria, progress to become eligible to participate in the WCAR AERO/GT series. The Academy will be headquartered in the UK with satellite training facilities located across the world.
WCAR ADVISORY BOARD
Building on the incredible Red Bull legacy, WCAR has retained the support of the best people from the world of Air Racing and high-performance aviation to advise on creating the new series.
MORE THAN AN AIR RACE
WORLD CLASS ENTERTAINMENT
Combining the excitement of world class sport with live music, entertainment and innovation, World Championship Air Race is more than just an air race.
Spectators can look on in sheer awe as the world's finest aviators race at speeds of over 250 mph through a gated course above their heads in this thrilling spectacle.
When the planes die down, we turn the volume up with live performances from the Hangar Stage.
This is entertainment like you've never experienced before. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.
