Red Bull Air Race to Return in 2014

The Red Bull Air Race World Championship will return in 2014 after a three-year hiatus, including stops in Fort Worth, Texas, and Las Vegas. The seven-race series will be staged in six countries on three continents. The series announced six of the locations, with the seventh to be determined in China.

Defending world champion Paul Bonhomme will be among the 12-pilot field after it took an extended break to improve safety and reorganize. The new series will feature a number of technical improvements, including standard engines and propellers for all pilots, changes to the lightweight nylon pylon material to make them easier to burst apart if they are clipped by plane wings and raising the height of the pylons that the pilots pass through from 20 to 25 meters.

Another safety feature will be a new Challengers Cup competition that will give new pilots who qualify experience racing in the tracks on certain Red Bull Air Race stops. They will also participate in several training camps during the season.

“We’re delighted to announce that the new Red Bull Air Race World Championship will be launched in Abu Dhabi,” said Erich Wolf, CEO of the Red Bull Air Race. “We’ve all worked very hard over the last three years fine-tuning some of the safety aspects to bring the sport to a new level.”

The following schedule was announced for the series:

Stage 1: March 1, 2014, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Stage 2: May 18, 2014, at Putrajaya Lake in Putrajaya, Malaysia

Stage 3: July 27, 2014, in Gdynia, Poland

Stage 4: August 16, 2014, at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, United Kingdom

Stage 5: September 14, 2014, at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas

Stage 6: October 12, 2014, in Las Vegas, Nevada

Stage 7: November 2, 2014, at a site to be determined in China