Gulf Air’s Banked Formula 1 Flyover Is An Intense Ride Even In Rehearsal

Photo: Clive Mason (Getty Images)

Pregame ceremonies for any major sporting event in the United States aren’t complete without a flyover. Formula 1 is no different despite being a European-based world championship, and YouTuber Michael Downie was invited by Gulf Air to be a passenger on a rehearsal flyover ahead of last Saturday’s Bahrain Grand Prix. Dramatic images of airliners sweeping over the start-finish straight have become commonplace in F1, especially after the championship banned military flyovers in 2022.

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Before the flight took off, Downie spoke with Captain Yusuf Akbari about the unique flyover. Gulf Air never does a simple level flight over the F1 track in Sakhir. Akbari stated that the plan was to steeply bank the aircraft in a right-handed turn as they fly only 500 feet over the main straight. The rehearsal flight is done primarily to practice the timing needed to have the airliner buzz the starting grid at the end of the national anthem. Downie mistakenly mentioned that the plane was a Boeing 787. However, the airliner is actually an Airbus A320, confirmed by looking up the plane’s registration number A9C-AC on Flightradar24.

Inside the F1 race start FLYOVER

It’s always evocative to see the Gulf Air wordmark painted on the airliner’s underbelly flashing the grandstands as the plane swoops around the circuit. It’s just as intense from the plane. Despite the deserted cabin, Downie chose to sit in the cheap seats to get the best view out of the plane, and he was also able to mount a camera inside the cockpit. The banking alarm is blaring as the Airbus turns low enough to the ground to read the sponsor logo painted on the track’s paved run-off areas.

Such a large aircraft pull-off maneuver is typically reserved for emergencies and tradeshow demonstrations, and it’s majestic. The flyover is also a show of national prestige, as Bahrain has the biggest stage imaginable to promote Gulf Air, its state-owned airline. The other Gulf States with F1 races do the same, with Etihad Airways at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and Qatar Airways at the Qatar Grand Prix.

F1 banned traditional military flyovers in 2022, with an exception for civilian aircraft using sustainable aviation fuel. The Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows were somehow allowed in through this loophole despite being integrated into the British military’s command structure and being staffed exclusively by British pilots. I would rather have the UK join the trend and have British Airways bring the Concorde out of retirement to blast over Silverstone.