PÉTER BESENYEI

Peter Besenyei was born and grew up near the airport in Budapest in 1956 and became interested in flying when he was a child.  From watching the 1962 World Aerobatic Championships (WAC), he decided to become a pilot.  He obtained his pilot’s license at age 15 and has been an aerobatic pilot since 1981.

Peter Besenyei holds the title of “The Godfather of the Red Bull Air Race,” a title he richly deserves.  His unparalleled experience and expertise are nothing short of legendary. He has more than 30 medals in unlimited World and European Championships and FAI WGP.  Besenyei is considered, by many experts, as one of the three best aerobatic pilots in the world.

The Red Bull Air Race began as an idea in 2001 in Austria. Besenyei was called as a test pilot to bring the competition to a world-wide audience, planning and setting up the rules and regulations, proving the Air Gate technology and carefully selecting the most daring pilots with skills and courage to handle the extreme physical and mental challenges of the air race. The First race began in 2003, and Peter became the overall winner for the first five years. 

Besenyei is also best known for demonstrating his awe-inspiring skill when he flew upside down under the Chain Bridge that spans the Danube River in Budapest.  He also was involved in developing a special new race plane called the Corvus Racer 540 which debuted amid the 2010 season. 

At the close of the 2015 race season, Peter announced his decision to retire from competition to spend more time with his family. He is a test pilot for the Hungarian Aviation Office and a flying instructor for aerobatic pilots on Zigko Edge 540. He enjoys car racing, skiing, sky diving, fishing and photography.