Six Confirmed Pilots Include Multiple World Champions and Rising Stars: Two Debut Pilots to Be Announced in March
TOKYO and OSAKA and SAPPORO, Japan, Feb. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AIR RACE X today announced six confirmed pilots for its highly anticipated 2026 season, featuring a lineup of world-class competitors headlined by two-time reigning champion Yoshihide Muroya and 2025 series winner Patrick Davidson. The championship will consist of four rounds conducted through AIR RACE X's revolutionary remote racing format, with global broadcast coverage via the official YouTube channel.
Racing at speeds exceeding 400 km/h while enduring gravitational forces of up to 12G, pilots will compete across three-dimensional courses in the most demanding test of precision flying in motorsport. The series represents a new chapter in modern air racing competition, bringing together the sport's most accomplished pilots and breakthrough talent.
The 2026 Pilot Roster
#31 Yoshihide Muroya (Japan) - 2023 & 2024 AIR RACE X Champion. The sport's dominant force returns to defend his consecutive titles.
#77 Patrick Davidson (South Africa) - 2025 AIR RACE X Champion. Last season's title winner enters with championship momentum.
#8 Martin Šonka (Czech Republic) - Former world champion and veteran tactician. One of air racing's most decorated competitors.
#26 Juan Velarde (Spain) - Precision control specialist and accomplished international competitor.
#86 Emma McDonald (Australia) - Rising star and standard-bearer for the sport's next generation of talent.
#7 Aarron Delue (Australia) - Breakthrough performer from 2025, bringing youth and aggression to the championship fight.
Two additional debut pilot announcements scheduled for March 2026. These final entries are expected to reshape competitive dynamics and introduce fresh challengers to the established order.
About AIR RACE X: Where Technology Meets Extreme Performance
AIR RACE X operates on a unique hybrid competitive platform combining remote racing and live events under unified competition standards. This revolutionary format enables pilots to compete from their home bases while maintaining absolute competitive parity through advanced digital systems.
Remote Racing Technology:
- Real-World Competition: The world's top race pilots experiencing the full physical demands of racing through the course at their specific airport location
- Racetrack Global Positioning: Identical three-dimensional course configurations deployed globally, ensuring standardized competitive conditions regardless of location. Advanced technology tracks and measures the pilots' movements in flight with precise measurements
- Performance Equalization: Proprietary algorithms automatically compensate for altitude, temperature, and air density variations, eliminating environmental advantages
Aircraft Specifications:
The championship utilizes the Zivko Edge 540, the world's premier unlimited aerobatic aircraft. With a 530kg airframe powered by a Lycoming high-performance aircraft engine, the Edge 540 achieves:
- Maximum velocity: 426 km/h (265 mph)
- Rotational rate: 420 degrees per second
- Maximum load factor: 12G
- Power-to-weight ratio exceeding high-performance supercars
Statement from AIR RACE X CEO Desmond Barry
"The 2026 season represents a transformative milestone in AIR RACE X's evolution. Our remote racing platform has eliminated geographical barriers while preserving the pure essence of competitive flying-skill, precision, and judgement.
This season's blend of proven champions and emerging talent creates the conditions for truly exceptional competition. We've assembled a field where championship outcomes will be decided by fractions of seconds and singular moments of brilliance.
AIR RACE X continues to pioneer the future of aerial motorsport, and we invite audiences worldwide to witness history being written in the sky."
AIR RACE X Main Website
https://www.airracex.com/
Simone Hawkins
info@airracex.com
+81-90-6722-8492
Desmond Barry
desmond.barry@airracex.com
+81-70-9042-5250
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