Red Bull to Discontinue Air Race World Championship
The Red Bull Air Race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, originally scheduled for October, has been canceled as a result of Red Bull’s decision to discontinue the Air Race World Championship following the 2019 season. The company says the races scheduled between June and September in Russia, Hungary and Japan will run as planned.
Since its inception in 2003, there have been more than 90 races with the Red Bull Air Race. At its inaugural race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2016, the event attracted more than 62,000 fans.
The company says the races “did not attract the level of outside interest as many other Red Bull events across the world.”
IMS President Doug Boles made the following statement about the cancellation of this year’s event at the speedway:
“We were informed this morning by management of the Red Bull Air Race organization that the 2019 championship will be suspended after September and that this year’s round at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, scheduled for Oct. 19-20, is canceled. We are disappointed that we will not host another Red Bull Air Race event, and I know many of our fans will be disappointed, as well. We enjoyed watching the pilots navigate the unique course over the Indianapolis Motor Speedway grounds, and we were especially excited to see American pilot Michael Goulian celebrate a well-earned victory last year.Customers who already purchased tickets to this year’s event will receive refunds. They will receive an email later today with information on that process.”