Red-Bull-style air racing looks set to return next year after the fledgling World Championship Air Racing (WCAR) announced this week that it had entered a partnership with the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), which governs air sport world-wide.
The sport has not been run since Red Bull shut-down their series at the end of 2019, leaving Australia's Matt Hall as the reigning champion.
The FAI has agreed to sanction the sport for 15 years, providing governance and safety oversight whilst granting WCAR exclusive rights on a range of different aircraft flown on air-gate courses.
Willie Cruickshank, WCAR Race Series Director, said “We are delighted to announce this exciting new agreement between the FAI and World Championship Air Race to bring city-centre air-racing back to the public.
"In addition to creating a highly competitive championship for spectators around the world to enjoy, we share a common purpose to develop and demonstrate the future of green aviation and urban air mobility in a demanding and highly competitive environment.
“World Championship Air Race now has the commitment from the best race pilots in the world, flying the best aircraft, under the exclusive jurisdiction of the world governing body, putting us in a very strong position as we build towards Season 1 which we plan to debut in early 2022.”
Following on from the popular Red Bull Air Race (RBAR) series, WCAR will use the experience gained by marshals, officials and competitors from staging more than 90 races in 34 different venues around the world including Austria, Canada, the USA, the UK, Croatia, Japan, Hungary and Australia.
RBAR illumni tapped to join WCAR as advisors include former champions Nigel Lamb and Paul Bonhomme, and former Race Director Jim Di Matteo,
WCAR will launch the 2022 season with conventionally-powered, legacy race-planes, while working with aerospace partners to embrace the latest advancements in aviation technology.
The series will evolve its race aircraft through the staged introduction of sustainable fuels, electric drivetrains and electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) race-craft from Season 3.
WCAR has made no announcements regarding competitors at this stage, but Australia's Matt Hall is believed to be keen to get involved again.