F1 BANS PRE-RACE MILITARY AIR DISPLAYS
Race promoters for Formula 1 races in 2022 and beyond won't have the option of putting on a military air display or flypast as part of their pre-race build-up.
The spectacular sights of military aircraft flying overhead the race tracks have become a firm favourite of many promoters.
As an example, Monza frequently has flyovers by the Italian Air Force aerobatic team Frecce Tricolori before the Italian Grand Prix, while the Royal Air Force Red Arrows entertain the crowds at Silverstone ahead of the British Grand Prix.
The main reason for banning air displays at Formula 1 races is “reducing carbon emissions” as part of F1’s drive to become carbon neutral, the ban is being introduced to "support F1's sustainability objectives".
Aside from environmental considerations, there were also concerns that such air displays by military aircraft could be seen as military posturing or as giving countries a platform for demonstrations of their military strength.
Photo: Red Arrows
The ban on military aircraft does not include civilian aviation as long as certain caveats are met.
Previously several of the Gulf races included flypasts of airliners belonging to their national airlines and those flypasts will continue to be permitted provided that the airlines are using sustainable fuels for such purposes. One of such flypasts took place at the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix when the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner of the Gulf Air performed a flypast powered by a second-generation biofuel supplied by Neste.
At this stage, it is unclear if the Flying Bulls Austria will be allowed to perform their displays before the Austrian Grand Prix but there is a possibility they will get permission to display provided the same considerations are taken into account.
