In the Red Bull Air Race’s illustrious history, we’ve seen 10 different pilots claim the title, 14 pilots win races and 23 pilots step on the podium over the 94 races. 

In that time there have been battles between pilots that have been epic, and some of which endured for seasons. Here are some of the best ones….

While the Red Bull Air Race will not continue beyond 2019, the World Championship pilots are not leaving the sky. As the season finale concluded in Chiba, Japan, they opened up about what’s ahead.

Over the last six seasons there have been six different World Champions, making for one of the most exciting sporting series ever. Here, we look back at those adrenaline-pumping World Championship moments...

Back at the start of the 2009 Red Bull Air Race season, four fresh-faced highly experienced aerobatic pilots, one of which was a former Wing Commander in the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force). The four pilots were:Pete McLeod, Yoshihide Muroya and Matthias Dolderer – and all were set to take the series by storm. 

In the eight years in which they competed, this quartet laid claim to three World Championship titles, 19 race wins and 64 podiums in total. A fantastic return, by anyone’s standards. 

The final race had no end of drama and excitement, but now that the dust has settled, 19-time race winner Paul Bonhomme reviews how he thinks the pilots performed at the very last Red Bull Air Race…

With nine race wins and two Challenger Cup titles there is no doubt that Florian Bergér is the most successful pilot ever to have flown in the feeder series. 

At the final race in Chiba he won easily. The race was cancelled due to adverse weather, leading the Race Committee to take the results from Qualifying, which saw Bergér at the top. The result was far from a circumstantial fluke – the German had earned his win, topping every timesheet over the race week. 

Only one pilot has ever successfully defended the Red Bull Air Race World Championship title, but Czech star Martin Sonka could become the second. To do so, he’ll have to hold on to his nerve, and hold off two of his top rivals.

Ben Murphy may be the newest contender in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship, but he and the Blades Racing Team promptly added to Britain’s legacy in the sport with a landmark rookie campaign in 2018. Then, just weeks ago, Ben clinched his first-ever race podium with second place at Lake Balaton, Hungary, jumping to fourth overall. As the British ace prepares to fight for the World Championship podium at September’s season finale in Japan, here are some insights on what makes him tick.