American Michael Goulian’s father was an examiner for the aerospace safety organisation, Federal Aviation Administration. Michael grew up washing aeroplanes, learnt to fly before he could drive and took his first solo flight on his 16th birthday. He turned to aerobatics at 17, established an aerobatic school and became a corporate airline pilot. He was crowned US national aerobatic champion in 1995.
American Kirby Chambliss began flying at the age of 13, and now has a hangar and runway in his garden. A self-confessed adrenaline junkie – he skydives and races off-road motorbikes – he has competed in the Red Bull Air Race since 2003, winning in 2004 and 2006.
German Matthias Dolderer grew up at his parent’s flight school, flying for the first time with his father at three. He took his first solo flight at 14. Matthias debuted in Abu Dhabi in 2009 and came third in his first season. Determined, focused and with an aggressive flying style, Matthias enjoys the race’s low level flying, precision and speed.
Brit Paul Bonhomme’s father was a pilot, mother a flight attendant and brother a commercial pilot. At 16, Paul started polishing and refuelling aircraft before getting his private pilot’s licence at 18. He has competed in eight Red Bull Air Races, landing on the podium 36 times in 50 races. He won the Championship in 2009 and 2010, making Paul the two time defending champion.
Yoshihide ‘Yoshi’ Muroya is Japan’s top aerobatics pilot. He started glider flight training at 18 at university, earned his licence at 20 and at 22 came third in a Japan glider championship. He started aerobatics a year later and took part in the Advanced World Aerobatic Championships at 24. Yoshi has flown in 200 air shows and in 2003 took part in the Unlimited World Aerobatic Championship.
Martin Sonka, a former fighter pilot and member of the Czech Air Force display team, joined the Red Bull Air Race in 2010. Martin has been a member of the Czech aerobatic team since 2005, and in 2011 he became the world freestyle champion.
Corsican Nicolas Ivanoff is a flight instructor who became an aerobatic pilot in 1990, joining the French aerobatics team in 1997. He was a member of the team that won the World Championships in 2000, and came second at the French Unlimited Aerobatics Championship in 2004.
Determined and focused, Canadian Pete McLeod, now 29, made history in 2009 when he became the youngest ever pilot in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship. He jumped from 15th place in his rookie season to fifth in 2010.
Austrian Hannes Arch enjoys mountain climbing and base jumping. He is a regular on the podium, winning the championship in 2008, beating several race veterans in his second season. In 2010 Hannes came second behind his long-time rival Paul Bonhomme.
Australian Matt Hall’s grandfather flew during World War II. A former wing commander and fighter combat instructor in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Matt won Australia’s Fighter Pilot of the Year award in 1997. He spent three years on a United States Air Force exchange programme which involved combat missions in the second Gulf War. Matt pulled his plane back into the sky after his wheels hit the water in the 2010 UK race, going on to win third place – making him the first rookie to win a spot on the podium.
Zimbabwean Nigel Lamb’s father was a Royal Air Force fighter pilot in World War II. Nigel applied to the Zimbabwean Air Force at 11, and got accepted at 18. He gained his wings to fly jets and helicopters in 1976, before becoming an instructor in 1980. He joined an aerobatics team and has flown in 1,770 displays over 30 years. Nigel is the only pilot to win the British National Unlimited Aerobatic Championship eight times consecutively. He flew in Dark Blue World, Hart’s War and Fly Boys and has taken part in the Red Bull Air Race five times, coming third in 2010.
Hungarian Peter Besenyei is a test pilot for the Hungarian Aviation office and an aerobatics instructor. Peter invented the ‘knife-edge spin’ move and developed the Red Bull Air Race in 2001, successfully completing the first test flight, earning himself the title of ‘Godfather of aerobatics’. Peter has flown all the aircraft in the Red Bull Air Race. He came first in 2003, second 2004-6 and third in 2007. He became famous after flying upside down under the bridge that spans the river in Budapest.
Previous winners
2003 Péter Besenyei – two races in total
2004 Kirby Chambliss – three races
2005 Mike Mangold – seven races
2006 Kirby Chambliss – eight races
2007 Mike Mangold – 10 races
2008 Hannes Arch – eight races
2009 Paul Bonhomme – six races
2010 Paul Bonhomme – eight races
2011 cancelled
2012 cancelled
2013 cancelled
