The Red Bull Air Race World Championship returns once again to Japan, in the sprawling suburban metropolis of Chiba City. Ranked as one of the 12 major cities in Japan, Chiba City has a population of approximately 1 million people, making up a fifth of Chiba Prefecture’s population. When you hear of Chiba you think of Narita Airport or Tokyo Disney Resort or maybe more historically its samurai and warrior heritage. Pretty well renowned for its steel industry, this bustling city is more recently home to the growing field of international information services, biotechnology and medical science. Just a short 30 minute train ride from central Tokyo, but it’s far from a concrete jungle… known as the ‘City of Flowers’, Chiba City is blessed with an abundance of nature, with traditional Japanese gardens and parks peppering the landscape and creating a wonderful contrast between old and new.
It is here that Chiba City and the Red Bull Air Race strike a chord. The Red Bull Air Race’s use of traditional aviation design combined with intuitive, state-of-the-art technology makes for a beautiful synergy of modern day advancements and golden age finesse.
Chiba Course Explained
Day 1 Qualifying Continued on Page 2
