Luke Czepiela Flies the Racing Line at Bahrain International Circuit

By Garth Calitz

In a moment that neatly blurred the lines between motorsport theatre and precision aviation, Red Bull athlete and Rotax brand ambassador Luke Czepiela has become the first pilot to fly the complete racing line of the Bahrain International Circuit from the air. The low-level flight, captured in the short film Aircraft Meets Racetrack, was unveiled by BRP-Rotax in February 2026 and premiered during the circuit’s official Formula 1 pre-season press conference in Sakhir. If you’ve ever wondered what a Grand Prix lap would look like from 50 feet above the tarmac, this project provided the answer, minus the pit stops.

The concept behind Aircraft Meets Racetrack is elegantly simple and technically audacious: take the “ideal racing line” that drivers chase lap after lap on the ground and translate it into an aerial flight path. In practice, that meant Czepiela flying the same smooth arcs, late apexes and tight exits that define a fast lap at Bahrain, but at low altitude, in close proximity to track infrastructure, and with virtually no room for error. The Bahrain International Circuit is lined with more than 495 light poles and enclosed by grandstands, barriers and buildings, creating a visually dramatic but operationally unforgiving environment for low-level flight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNgMGArCGBU

For Czepiela, a specialist in extreme precision flying, the challenge lay in maintaining absolute control across rapidly changing speed regimes and altitudes. “Flying a racing line from the air demands absolute control at low altitude and instant reaction in every phase,” he said. “It is precision flying in its purest form.” The flight profile included short take-offs and landings (STOL) on the start/finish straight, adding another layer of complexity to an already demanding manoeuvre. It was less a “flypast” and more a carefully choreographed aerial lap, with the margin for error measured in metres rather than laps.

The aircraft selected for the task was a CubCrafters Carbon Cub UL powered by the 160 hp Rotax 916 iS engine. The combination of a lightweight airframe, exceptional power-to-weight ratio and crisp throttle response made it possible to mirror the racing line’s tight geometry from the air. STOL capability allowed Czepiela to operate comfortably within the confines of the circuit environment, turning the iconic start/finish straight into a temporary runway. For Rotax, the project offered a high-profile showcase of its aviation engine technology operating at the edge of its performance envelope, albeit in a far more glamorous setting than the average bush strip.

Filming took place during the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals in Bahrain, marking the first time all project partners collaborated on-site. The production team worked closely with Bahrain International Circuit management, Red Bull Bahrain and local authorities to develop a comprehensive safety and operations plan. Airspace and track closures were coordinated to ensure uninterrupted filming, with air traffic management and emergency services on standby throughout the operation. In the age of tightly managed airspace and heightened safety oversight, the fact that such a project could be executed at a major Formula 1 venue is noteworthy in itself.

Peter Ölsinger, General Manager of BRP-Rotax and Vice-President Sales, Marketing RPS-Business & Communications, said the project was about more than visual spectacle. “With Luke Czepiela, we aimed to create something that authentically unites our two passions: racing and aviation. This project represents technical precision, long-standing partnerships, and the courage to pursue new creative paths.” The film, he added, sets a new technical and creative benchmark for how Rotax tells its performance story across disciplines.

Beyond the cinematic appeal, Aircraft Meets Racetrack speaks to a broader narrative in modern aviation marketing: connecting high-performance flying with the emotional pull of motorsport. It is one thing to quote power-to-weight ratios and fuel flows; it is quite another to demonstrate those attributes by flying a Formula 1 racing line at low level. For the Bahrain International Circuit, the project also delivered a unique piece of global exposure, proof that even the most familiar motorsport venues can still surprise when viewed from a new angle.

For aviation enthusiasts, the film is a reminder that precision flying is not confined to airshows or remote bush strips. Sometimes, it takes place on the world’s most famous racetracks, with floodlights as obstacles and apexes as waypoints. In the process, Luke Czepiela and BRP-Rotax have delivered a memorable crossover moment, where racing met aviation and neither discipline blinked first.