The Red Bull Air Race season begins every year with its first stop in Abu Dhabi. It is an absolute pleasure to be part of this world series as an official photographer for all these years. Abu Dhabi is particular pleasure from the photographer’s aspect for a number of reasons, but the main one is: “Air Race simply starts here!”

Our photographic challenges begin from the first day with photographing of all the pilots in the studio. New season brings new faces, new sponsors and some familiar people in a new edition. Through these studio portraits, we are preparing everything that is necessary in the first place for a media kit that will be used throughout the season. Also with these portraits come the first interviews and stories for magazines, websites and social networks. Basically, we create photo material that can be used for various purposes throughout the season.

The next photographic days bring photographs of entire teams with pilots as well as the new design of the aircraft themselves. Through these photos, we create galleries that can be used by sponsors in particular. After all this begin the first trainings and the action in the air itself. A lot of content related to flying is definitely a challenge for each of our photographers. The entry and exit from airplane, flying on the track, onboard cameras, emotions and everything that follows the race itself must be captured. Our photographic moments create stories which are followed by Red Bull Air Race fans around the globe!

It is a special pleasure to take pictures from a helicopter. The very idea that airplanes are flying under us as we take pictures is in itself an incredible feeling. When we add the fact that the locations we fly on are unreal and unique, then only the conclusion can be that the privilege of every photographer is to experience all this through his lens!

The new Red Bull Air Race season has began and so have the photographic challenges that lie ahead of us. Let’s start and “SMOKE ON”!

ABOUT RED BULL AIR RACE ABU DHABI

To the amazement of 50,000 spectators across the opening weekend of the 2019 Red Bull Air Race season in Abu Dhabi, the 2017 World Champion Yoshihide Muroya (JPN) claimed the race win by just 0.003s over his longtime rival, defending World Champion Martin Šonka of the Czech Republic. The result sets the tone for the eight-race season to come, and with third-place Michael Goulian (USA) just one point behind Šonka in the overall standings, plus 11 other elite contenders in the mix, there is no telling who will be on top at the November finale.

ABOUT RED BULL AIR RACE

The Red Bull Air Race World Championship is an aerial motorsport series that demands a combination of speed, precision and skill. Using the fastest, most agile, high performance race planes, pilots compete in iconic locations over water and land. The high speed, low altitude and extreme manoeuvrability required make it accessible only to the world’s most exceptional pilots.

Flying just metres from the ground, 14 Master Class pilots race against the clock whilst reaching speeds of up to 370 km/h, requiring a combination of precision and skill unmatched in the world of aviation. Pilots must be in peak physical condition as they endure forces up to 12G while navigating the technical racetracks made up of air-filled pylons.

The Air Race was developed in 2003 and is accredited by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), with more than 90 races completed across five continents. As the most advanced aerial challenge in existence, competing in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship is the highest accolade for elite pilots.

A Challenger Cup feeder series was introduced in 2014 with the goal of facilitating the development of the unique skills required for the Master Class for the next generation of pilots.