Red Bull Air Race gives Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector wings

The capital hosts the first Red Bull Air Race of the season this weekend and the prestigious event provides a global platform to showcase the city and the emirate. In addition, the local economy will also get a lift.

Racers in Abu Dhabi will be treated to views of the emirate's Corniche and other tourism areas. Predrag Vuckovic / Red Bull Content Pool
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If you are based in Abu Dhabi and are planning a quiet stroll on the capital’s Corniche this weekend, you might want to reconsider – it will be anything but quiet.

Fourteen contestants from across the globe will start their assault on the coveted Red Bull Air Race World Championship title as the electrifying race on two wings kicks off in the capital tomorrow and Saturday.

This year’s season opener reflects the strong commercial partnership Red Bull has with Abu Dhabi.

“We are very well supported by Abu Dhabi Sports Council [ADSC] and Abu Dhabi Airport among others in order to bring the race here,” Pavel Turek, Commercial Director at Red Bull Air Race, tells The National.

And thanks to the ADSC, the season opener is not a ticketed event and as such and draws tens of thousands of spectators over the racing weekend, providing a welcome boost for the local economy.

“From employing local suppliers to creating promotional campaigns in conjunction with ADSC, we work closely with the Abu Dhabi Government in order to ensure a successful season opener,” says Mr Turek.

Similar positive sentiments on the relationship between the two are echoed by Aref Al Awani, the general secretary of ADSC. “Abu Dhabi’s 10-year partnership with the Red Bull Air Race is one of the strongest in our sports portfolio,” he said recently, following an announcement of the extension of the agreement to hold the race in Abu Dhabi. “This new four-year agreement to be the season-opening race reinforces our vision to align ourselves with the world’s best sports organisations and deliver high-quality media content to an international audience, as well as a major economic spike to the capital city.

“The sight of the Red Bull Air Race planes above Abu Dhabi’s stunning Corniche backdrop is one of the best in the UAE sporting calendar – we’re looking forward to welcoming the pilots and fans back,” Mr Al Awani ­added.

The partnership extends beyond the support of the Abu Dhabi Government. While Red Bull is the key entity involved in the series, local brands from host countries are invited to participate as supporting partners, allowing local brands to be part of the two-day action. “The Red Bull Air Race is an independent world championship and sports discipline recognised by the FAI, the World Air Sport Federation. Red Bull is the title partner of the series and is also the sponsor of two out of 14 race teams. We welcome other partners coming on board and over the years, interest from local partners has grown considerably. This year, for example, our local partners in Abu Dhabi include: Abu Dhabi Airports; Jeep; and MBC Action,” says Mr Turek.

Sometimes referred to as Formula One in the sky, the aim of the pilots in a given race is to traverse through an aerial circuit featuring air-filled pylons with time being the major factor in the race. And what makes it additionally thrilling is the fact that these talented pilots need to manoeuvre through the pylons at speeds of over 350kph with gravitational forces on the flyers hitting up to 10G. To put that number into perspective, an average individual cannot handle a gravitational force of beyond about 5G without passing out. It does not get much more scenic than Abu Dhabi to kick off the latest edition of the international series, something Red Bull is happy to capitalise on.

“It’s thrilling to launch our tenth season with this milestone 75th race, and I can’t imagine a better setting than Abu Dhabi, a city renowned for its appreciation of top-level motorsport that has warmly welcomed us for a decade now,” Erich Wolf, the general manager of Red Bull Air Race, said recently.

Mr Turek says the partnership with Abu Dhabi has blossomed since it began in 2007.

“Since bringing the Red Bull Air Race World Championship to Abu Dhabi in 2007, the city’s appreciative motorsport fans have came out in their droves to see the race year after year and our partnership with Abu Dhabi Sports Council has grown from strength to strength,” he says.

A purpose-built village on the Corniche pier sets the perfect scene for fans to view the action over the beautiful waters of the Arabian Gulf. The Corniche boasts 8km of pristine beachfront, giving fans a front row seat in breathtaking surroundings.

With unrivalled views of the low altitude, high-speed race and the capital’s impressive skyline, the arena will be a focal point seen by fans around the world, providing ideal exposure for the city to a global audience.

“Fans all over the world view the photogenic location of the Corniche during racing weekend and we are very proud to be among the top sports that are hosted in the city. It was a logical move for us to sign Abu Dhabi as the opening race for the next four World Championship seasons,” says Mr Turek.

The future for Red Bull Air Race, and Abu Dhabi, looks bright as race officials aim to bring the event in front of more spectators across the globe.

“In the world of sports, the Red Bull Air Race is young – 2017 marks only our tenth season as a World Championship. We’re working to grow our footprint in the years ahead and our goal is to eventually have 15 stops on the World Championship calendar. We want to bring the Red Bull Air Race World Championship to more fans in both new and existing race locations,” says Mr Turek.

While the atmosphere at the weekend will be fun and relaxed for the spectators, for the fourteen pilots taking part, tension will be near breaking point – especially as the Corniche circuit features a new layout. A preview of the racetrack shows 15 gates over two laps of the course and overall it is a new design, according to the sponsors. This year, at the back section of the track, there are two single pylons instead of gates as previously, and the final gate before the Start/Finish Gate will have a pair of pylons that the pilots will have to fly straight and level through if they do not want to collect a penalty.

And the weather conditions are always a consideration.

“The wind can change direction rapidly in Abu Dhabi and the weather can change on a daily basis,” says the Red Bull Air Race World Championship race director and former race pilot, Steve Jones.

“If the wind drops we’ll see faster times and if the winds increase the times will get slower. But it’s always hot and the pilots have to work hard.”

Happily, the fans on the Corniche will only have to crane their necks to enjoy the action.

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