Hamilton Stories

Photo credits: Predrag Vuckovic - Red Bull Content Pool
Red Bull Air Race Official Timekeeper
Speed, Precision, Skill
In 2003, a new sports category was created by FAI, the World Air
Sports Federation. For a sport to create a new category rather
than being assigned to an existing one was unprecedented.
Air Racing officially became a world championship sport
two years later and, in 2017, the Red Bull Air Race World
Championship celebrated both its 75 th race and the arrival of
a new Official Timekeeper: Hamilton.
With high-G maneuvers performed as the pilots take around
one minute to complete a 6 km (3.7 mile) course, the Air Race
is all about speed and precision. This should not be mistaken
for an aerobatic display or an air show. It’s a race and one
that all 14 pilots in the category want to win in hopes of being
crowned Red Bull Air Race World Champion.
Split second timing is also essential as the pilots reach speeds
of up to 370 km/h (230 mph) in their agile, lightweight planes,
experiencing up to 10G of force as they negotiate a low-level
slalom track marked by 25m (82 ft) high air filled pylons.
Air racing and aerobatics are worlds that Hamilton knows
well. As well as being the Official Timekeeper, we’ve had a
team competing in the Air Race since 2005 and our brand
ambassador, Nicolas Ivanoff, is the Team Hamilton pilot.
In 2018, we also welcomed Spanish ace Juan Velarde, bold
Canadian Pete McLeod and Italian athlete Dario Costa as
ambassadors. Now we have four top pilots testing our watches
to the limit and providing us with feedback direct from the
cockpit.
Photo credits: Predrag Vuckovic - Red Bull Content Pool
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