DHL Global Forwarding takes last lap for final stop of the iconic Red Bull Air Race World Championship

• DHL transported nearly 400 tons of race-related cargos, from planes and parts to hangars and pylons, via air and sea for the final race in Chiba, Japan on 7-8 September
• This is the fifth year that DHL Global Forwarding has supported the Red Bull Air Race with end-to-end freight handling, customs clearance, and documentation

TOKYO, JAPAN - Media OutReach - 9 September 2019 - For DHL Global Forwarding, the final lap for the Red Bull Air Race World Championship commenced a month ago, when 22 containers of race equipment began their ocean-bound journey with the leading international provider of air, sea and road freight services.

By the time that DHL awarded the "Fastest Lap Award" on Saturday, September 7 -- given to Martin Šonka, the pilot who achieved the fastest time on a single lap of the racetrack -- the logistics provider has transported nearly 400 tons of freight including airplanes, hangars, pylons, and anchors for the World Championship's final event in Chiba, Japan.

"The Chiba race marked the exciting end to 14 years of a sport unmatched in the world of aviation," said Erich Wolf, General Manager of Red Bull Air Race GmbH. "From the beginning, the Red Bull Air Race has always been about advancing the boundaries of what's possible. From season to season we have done just that -- with the progression of our pilots and teams, with ever-more sophisticated racing technology, and by finding solutions for the operational complexity of staging this dynamic series. We're incredibly grateful to our partners for helping us to deliver an exciting climax in Japan, including DHL Global Forwarding for giving us a rock-solid logistics and supply chain foundation."

For the final race in Chiba, DHL Global Forwarding transported more than 240 tons of race equipment via ocean freight from the USA, Netherlands, and Austria, while 155 tons of time-sensitive cargos like planes and parts were shipped in from the previous race at Lake Balaton, Hungary in less than 12 hours. The process saw DHL manage all customs, documentation, and last-mile trucking of its cargo -- ultimately involving more than 130 vehicles -- to ensure the utmost degree of compliance and safety for pilots and race visitors alike.

"Over the past five years, we've refined our logistics solution for the Red Bull Air Race to add as much certainty as we can to the highly variable operating environment in which the motorsport series is staged," said Charles Kaufmann, President/Representative Director -- DHL Global Forwarding Japan K.K. and CEO -- DHL Global Forwarding North Asia/South Pacific, who presented the iconic DHL Fastest Lap Award trophy at the culmination of the 2019 World Championship. "With the global sports market expected to see accelerating growth in the next three years, driven predominantly by growth in Asia Pacific at nearly 10 percent per annum, we believe demand for high-intensity sporting events and the necessary logistics solutions will only continue to rise. That gives considerable cause for optimism even as we bid farewell to the iconic Red Bull Air Race this year."

50 Years DHL

In 2019 DHL is celebrating 50 years since the company's founding by three entrepreneurs in San Francisco in 1969. DHL began as a disruptor to the traditional delivery industry, circumventing bureaucracy with an innovative new service to deliver documents by air overnight. Since then, DHL has grown into a globe-spanning family of DHL companies with about 380,000 employees in over 220 countries and territories that covers the entire spectrum of logistics and supply chain services. DHL's customer-centricity and can-do culture have fueled five decades of innovation -- from the DHL 1000, one of the first word processing computers in the world, to using the purpose built StreetScooter, an environmentally friendly delivery vehicle powered by an electric drive and developed by Deutsche Post DHL Group. With the Mission 2050 commitment to reach zero group-wide emissions by 2050, DHL is continuing to be a trailblazer in the logistics industry.

DHL -- The logistics company for the world

DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL family of divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With about 380,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, energy, automotive and retail, a proven commitment to corporate responsibility and an unrivalled presence in developing markets, DHL is decisively positioned as "The logistics company for the world".

DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 61 billion euros in 2018.

ABOUT RED BULL AIR RACE

Created in 2003, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship has held more than 80 races around the globe. The Red Bull Air Race World Championship features the world's best race pilots in a pure motorsport competition that combines speed, precision and skill. Using the fastest, most agile, lightweight racing planes, pilots hit speeds of 370 km while enduring forces of up to 12G as they navigate a low-level slalom track marked by 25-meter-high, air-filled pylons. In 2014, the Challenger Cup was conceived to help the next generation of pilots develop the skills needed for potential advancement to the Master Class that vies for the World Championship.

www.redbullairrace.com