Pete McLeod showed tremendous promise and made great improvement in his first two seasons in the Red Bull Air Race, jumping from 15th place in his rookie season 2009 to fifth in 2010. McLeod, Canada’s most high profile young aviator, made history in 2009 when he became the youngest pilot ever and only Canadian to fly in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship.
“For me the Red Bull Air Race is an expression of some of the great things of life – being in an aeroplane, being fast, high performance, being close to the ground, the lifestyle, the travel,” explains McLeod. “The competition is just tremendous and being back in the track is a kind of revival of my spirit. I was basically raised in aeroplanes. I’ve been eating, breathing and sleeping competition aerobatics, air show freestyle and the Red Bull Air Race. I enjoy freestyle aerobatics but it lacks the competitive aspect of the race. I want to measure myself against the top pilots in the world.”
With a degree in economics from the University of Western Ontario, McLeod is a dedicated student of the sport and has absorbed valuable lessons watching and listening to the established veterans.
But those tips from the other Red Bull Air Race pilots began drying up in his second year because his meteoric rise through the ranks meant he was suddenly challenging and beating many of them in the races. McLeod was on a clear path to the top in 2010 when the race was suspended and he is confident he can continue on that upward trajectory in the standings with the resumption of the world championship. He is a determined and highly focused young man who has a goal of becoming the youngest Red Bull Air Race World Champion.
