And when this week’s Red Bull Air Race World Championship takes off in Abu Dhabi, it will also forge a unique partnership between the sport and the capital itself.
With the Red Bull Air Race of Abu Dhabi retaining its flagship status as the Championship’s season opening round, this year’s event also marks the beginning of even closer ties between race organisers and the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), the body responsible for bringing the event to the capital.
The result is a new three year agreement which ensures not only that the race continues to return to Abu Dhabi, but that it will also be bigger and better than ever. It will also be an event that aims to enhance the capital’s growing status as a truly international centre for major sporting events.
The race, staged on 17th and 18th April, marks the fifth consecutive year that the United Arab Emirates capital has been the opening venue for the fastest growing motorsport in the world – and one of the most exciting.
This year’s racing elite of 15 pilots, which includes four rookies, will be the largest field to ever compete in the World Championship.
A new race format will ensure non-stop action and the challenging track will be positioned over the sparkling turquoise waters of the Arabian Gulf on Abu Dhabi’s famous Corniche. The race track has been moved slightly and will now start at the giant UAE flag
[Originally published in Abu Dhabi Week vol 2 issue 14]
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