Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) – the apex body which manages the tourism industry of Abu Dhabi, the largest of seven emirates which make up the United Arab Emirates – has further strengthened its strategic Red Bull Air Race World Championship interests via a bold new partnership with reigning World Champion, Hannes Arch, to form title-challenging Team Abu Dhabi.

Following hot-on-the-heels of announcing that the UAE capital will host the Championship’s flagship season-opener until 2011, ADTA’s new partnership will see Hannes’ Edge 540 aircraft liveried in the emirate’s name and, with the Austrian ace at the controls, will blaze an Abu Dhabi sky-trail across three continents in all six annual rounds of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship.

The ‘Abu Dhabi’ branded Edge 540, which is capable of a 420-degree per second roll rate and a 3,700-feet per minute climb rate, will debut in its new role at this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Red Bull Air Race – on April 17th and 18th.

Designed to reinforce Abu Dhabi’s global exposure as a world-class destination of distinction, Team Abu Dhabi will see Arch take to the skies in emerging ADTA source markets such as, Canada, the USA, Spain and Eastern Europe, as well as being seen on television across more than 100 million households worldwide.

“Our commitment to the Red Bull Air Race World Championship now goes significantly beyond the Abu Dhabi Red Bull Air Race,” said Ahmed Hussein, Deputy Director General, ADTA.

Source: www.redbullairraces.com