High-speed aerial precision meets foiling power as Matt Hall and the Red Bull Italy SailGP Team push the limits of performance on the water and above.
16 January 2026, Perth, AUSTRALIA – Australian aerobatic pilot Matt Hall has shared the stage with Red Bull Italy SailGP Team in a spectacular display to mark Sail GP’s arrival in Perth.
Ahead of the Season 6 opener, the former Red Bull Air Race World Champion and the Italian sailing squad pulled off dazzling choreographed maneuvers on the SailGP racecourse.
Hall carved through Perth’s skyline executing nose-down dives, high-speed crossing trajectories and inverted passes in tandem with Red Bull Italy SailGP Team’s F50 catamaran. Including a knife-edge flight against foiling at 100 km/h.
“I’ve done a lot of cool things in my life – today fits right in there. It was just amazing to do this out here in Perth with the Red Bull Italy SailGP team.”
– Matt Hall, Red Bull Air Race Champion
At the helm of the Italian F50 was SailGP veteran Phil Robertson (NZL), gearing up for the explosive racing expected this weekend. Air and water might separate the two disciplines, yet both demand split-second decisions, sustained G-forces, and precision at extreme speed. What Hall manages with control surfaces and airflow, Robertson and his crew achieve with wingsail trim and apparent wind.
“I think it was just a great way to start. There are a lot of similarities between plane and F50 in that you’re pushing your machine to the limit, and it really takes a lot from a human performance standpoint. Also, the materials – it’s all about power-to-weight ratio, it’s about carbon fiber – and we literally are powered by a plane wing.”
– Jimmy Spithill, CEO of the Red Bull Italy SailGP Team
“That plane sort of swoop in and slip past us within almost touching distances. I’m just so impressed by Matt’s skills and what he can do with that plane and how accurate he can be. He could almost have touched us with his wingtips if he wanted to. I’m glad he didn’t – but man, what an experience.”
– Phil Robertson, SailGP Champion, Red Bull Italy SailGP Team driver
The Oracle Perth Sail Grand Prix, taking place 17–18 January, marks SailGP’s championship debut in Perth. It’s the first time the city hosts the league, and the Fremantle Doctor – the seabreeze notorious for delivering 25-knot (almost 50 km/h) afternoon winds – has been putting teams to the test during practice this week. As 13 teams of the world’s best sailors prepare to push their F50s past 100 km/h this race weekend. Watch the racing unfold from 13:00 local time, Saturday 17 January.
Matt Hall
Matt Hall is one of Australia’s most accomplished aerobatic pilots and a benchmark figure in elite aviation performance. As a former Royal Australian Air Force fighter combat instructor and Wing Commander, Hall logged more than 1,500 hours on the F/A-18 Hornet before transitioning to full-time competition flying. He made history as the first Australian selected for the Red Bull Air Race World Championship and went on to claim the overall title in 2019, the final season of the series. A third-generation pilot with more than 4,000 flight hours across military, aerobatic, and display aircraft, Hall is highly respected for his precision, control, and pushing performance limits at the highest level.
Red Bull Italy SailGP Team
Red Bull Italy SailGP Team represents a new generation of high-performance sailing: fast, fearless, and forward-looking. Now entering its second season, the team aims to push boundaries, inspire, and redefine the sport by uniting Italy’s finest sailing talent with international expertise. At the helm is Phil Roberson (NZL), SailGP Champion and one of the sport’s most dynamic athletes. Alongside him, Australian sailing legend Jimmy Spithill leads as CEO and co-owner, bringing unmatched experience and vision.
SailGP
SailGP is widely regarded as the most thrilling racing on water, redefining the boundaries of modern sailing. The Rolex SailGP Championship is a global annual league that visits iconic cities around the world. Thirteen national teams — featuring some of the best athletes in the sport — compete on identical 50-foot foiling catamarans capable of exceeding 100 km/h and literally sailing faster than the wind.
SailGP combines sport and entertainment through its “stadium racing” format, with courses set close to shore to deliver a unique, high-adrenaline experience just meters from the action.
AVAILABLE CONTENT
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– Press Release, Hero Action Clip (16:9, 9:16, dirty (EN)/clean), Teaser Clip (16:9, 9:16, dirty (EN)/clean) & SI assets via:
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Contact: Fabian Ress
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