Patrick Davidson Retains AIR RACE X Title for South Africa

Photo Credit: Supplied / Team 77

The six-time South African national aerobatic champion added a second AIR RACE X title to his growing list of achievements.

Gqeberha, South Africa (14 September 2026) – South African pilot Patrick Davidson has done it again.

The Red Bull pilot has successfully defended his AIR RACE X title, winning the 2026 season finale and bringing a second consecutive championship home to South Africa.

Racing for Team 77 in his Emotive-liveried Edge 540 V3, Davidson added the 2026 crown to the breakthrough title he claimed in 2025. It means another international sporting achievement is heading back to Gqeberha and the Eastern Cape. Now Davidson is a two-time AIR RACE X champion.

After winning both the opening round and the finale of last year’s championship to secure his maiden title, Davidson returned this season with another big target on his back.

His successful title defence sees him once again finish at the top of an international field, cementing his place among the leading names in the high-speed world of air racing.

AIR RACE X combines real aircraft with a digital race format, with pilots flying prescribed courses in high-performance aircraft from different locations. Their recorded flight data is then compared to determine who comes out on top.

A six-time South African national aerobatic champion, he grew up in an aviation family and started competing in flying competitions at just 12 years old with a safety pilot alongside him.

By 17, he was competing solo. His career has since taken him through national aerobatic competitions, the Red Bull Air Race Challenger Class and international display flying before he made his mark in AIR RACE X.

Now, two championship titles later, Davidson has another piece of international silverware to add to the collection.

His 2026 campaign was once again supported by European automotive aftermarket group Emotive, based in Zug, Switzerland, which renewed its backing after supporting his first championship-winning season.

And with Davidson now a back-to-back champion, South Africa’s name continues to fly high on the international air-racing scene.