Five-Time French Aerobatics Champion Sponsored By Michelin For The Series

Five-time French aerobatics champion Melanie Astles will be competing in this year's Red Bull Air Race Championship Series thanks to a sponsorship from Michelin.

Astles (pictured) is the first woman to compete in the Red Bull Air Race, a must-see aerial aerobatics event. The Red Bull Air Race is the most advanced aerial challenge the world and a visual spectacle unlike any other. The race is a combination of high speed, low altitude and extreme maneuverability only possible for the world's best racing pilots. It combines speed, precision and skill using the fastest, most agile, lightweight race planes. The race has two classes — Master and Challenger.

The Challenger Cup offers a new generation of exceptionally talented pilots from around the world a chance to experience the thrills of the sport. This year’s series includes  10 pilots from nine different nations racing for Challenger Cup points.

Astles started flying lessons at age 21, and she became the reigning aerobatics champion of France 14 years later.  Having finished several times among the world’s top-10 aerobatics pilots, and ascended to a European Aerobatics championship ranking, Astles is now a Challenger Cup pilot. This new partnership between Michelin and Astles began at the Red Bull Race in Cannes, France, this past weekend.

Astles’ personal aircraft will be equipped with Michelin tires during shows and demonstrations. As a world-class competitor, Astles symbolizes the spirit of aviation to aircraft owners in this segment. It is this focus and passion that impressed the Michelin team.

(Image provided with Michelin news release)

FMI: www.michelinman.com