Formula 1 to ban military aviation display as part of pre-race build-up. A certain part of the pre-race build-up is no longer permitted.

Starting with the new season, race promoters for Formula 1 events will no longer have the possibility of putting on a military aviation display during the pre-race build-up. Several displays of military aircraft flying overhead were seen at certain Grands Prix in the last few years, becoming a firm favourite of many promoters.

For example, in Monza we have seen the flyovers of the Italian Air Force ahead of the start of the Italian Grand Prix, while the Red Arrows, part of the Royal Air Force, entertain the fans at Silverstone before the British Grand Prix.

Yet this will no longer be the case in 2022, as Formula 1 has informed race promoters by email that displays of military aviation are not permitted. The main reason is the intention to reduce carbon emissions as part of Formula 1’s plan to become carbon neutral. The decision has therefore been made in order to “support Formula 1’s sustainability objectives”.

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But the environmental factor was not the only reason for this decision: there were also concerns from within the sport that such aerial displays could be seen as military posturing or as giving countries a platform for demonstrations of their military strength. On the other hand, the sport is willing to discuss with promoters about the possibility of putting on displays of civilian and commercial aircraft, once certain caveats are met.

For example, several of the Gulf races do flypasts of jumbo jets belonging to their national airlines – these will continue to be permitted with the conditions that the airlines are using sustainable fuels for such purposes. This process had already been undertaken by some airlines, with Gulf Airlines performing a flypast at the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix of their Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with second-generation biofuel supplied by Neste.

Formula 1 is open to promoters sending up such planes after details have been clarified and written permission granted, as well as the promoter making sure that the correct insurance for a commercial flyover is in place and provided by the aircraft operator.