Dario Costa
Dario Costa (born 9 May 1980, Manchester, United Kingdom) is an Italian professional air race, aerobatic, stuntman and flight instructor pilot from Bologna, Italy who raced in the Red Bull Air Race World Series under the Red Bull brand.[1]
Dario Costa | |
|---|---|
 Dario Costa press conference Challenger Cup Lake Balaton 2019 | |
| Born | May 9, 1980 |
| Nationality |  |
| Website | dariocosta.com |
Biography
Dario Costa started to learn piloting while at high school in Bologna where after formal flight training he did his first solo flight at the age of 16 in 1996. Earned his living initially as theoretical instructor at his flying school and high school enabling him few years later to obtain his commercial pilot, flight instructor and aerobatic flight instructor qualifications.
Teaching and competing in aerobatics, Dario evolved with the sport and in 2011, while still teaching full-time, was contest director of the 2011 FAI World Aerobatic Championships and in 2013 joined the Red Bull Air Race World Championship as flight operations manager, development and ferry pilot.
In 2016 became the first Italian to qualify as Red Bull Air Race World Championship race pilot[2].
In 2017 flew in synchro with freestyle skier Ian Rocca in the Mottolino Livigno snowpark for a Lamborghini ad[3] becoming the first ones to ever perform such stunt.
In 2018 started competing in the Red Bull Air Race Challenger Cup becoming the first Italian to join this world championship.
In 2019 flew low level racing manoeuvres over the Namib Desert for a Hamilton Watch ad[4].
On his second race got on the podium[5] and on his second season won the 2019 Challenger Cup in Lake Balaton[6][7][8].
In 2019 became the first ever airplane pilot to perform and include in his display routine a barrel roll in formation flight together with a helicopter [9] flown by another Italian pilot Mirko Flaim and also became the second pilot ever to include in his display routine a roll around wingsuit skydivers.
In June 2020 Dario has performed in the Red Bull movie "Drum the Bull", a music video in which the internationally renowned percussionist Martin Grubinger combines classical music with the sounds of different motorsports, including the modified Zivko Edge 540 flown by Costa, to celebrate the 2020 Formula One World Championship back to back opening races in Spielberg. [10]
In July 2020 Dario has flown at low level, for F1 Styrian GP, the Red Bull Ring racetrack for a kind of track preview video never done before. [11]
Awards and accolades
- On August 5th, 2018 Costa was featured in a picture over Venice which was included in "The best images in sport" by The Sunday Times[12].
- On November 8th, 2019 Costa was awarded by the Italian Region Emilia Romagna for his sport achievements[13]
Filmography
| Date | Title | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2017 | Lamborghini - Aventador S: Dare your EGO at high Altitude[14] | Livigno, Italy | Directed by Alessandro Zorio |
| November 2017 | Briko - The Golden Helmet: Episode 3[15] | Salzburg, Austria | featuring Lindsey Vonn |
| September 2019 | Hamilton Watch - Dreams of Flight[16] | Namib Desert, Namibia | Directed by Jacob Sutton |
| July 2020 | Red Bull - Drum the Bull[17] | Red Bull Ring, Austria | Directed by Fritz Melchert |
| July 2020 | Red Bull - 2020 Styrian Grand Prix | Formula 1 Track Preview[18] | Red Bull Ring, Austria | Directed by Christoph Deja |
RESULTS
Italian National Aerobatic Championship
| Season | Category | Location | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Unlimited | Lucca, Italy | 1st |
Red Bull Air Race
References
- Red Bull Athlete Profile
- Red Bull Air Race Pilot Profile
- Il volo verso il sogno di Dario Costa e la Red Bull Air Race
- Costa Takes Maiden Win In Balaton
- Dario Costa è il primo pilota italiano a vincere la Red Bull Air Race
- Dario Costa è il primo italiano a volare e vincere alla Red Bull Air Race
- L'acrobata dei cieli premiato in Regione, Bonaccini: "Orgogliosi dei suoi successi"
- Costa stunt flying in Dreams of Flight short movie