DeLorean Motor Company just announced a move few saw coming. At TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco on October 13, 2026, the company confirmed it will enter the Airspeeder International Series as constructor of the United States team. The DeLorean Airspeeder Team is set to race when the 2026-27 season opens in November, making it the first American constructor in this championship built around electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
Airspeeder, founded by Australian entrepreneur Matt Pearson, offers itself as a high-stakes testing ground for future electric flight technologies. The pilots fly through 3D courses marked by virtual gates rather than following a fixed path on the ground. The onboard sensors and collision avoidance technologies keep the competitors in check as the aircraft fly around at breakneck speed. The goal of the project is to push the boundaries of electric flight, flight control, and related systems, which could one day help with passenger travel, emergency response, and cargo transportation.
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For its debut season, the DeLorean squad will race a standardized Airspeeder Mk3C. DeLorean will focus on providing the airplane some visual flair, design, and putting their logo out there. It should be noted that they will not be touching the Mk3C’s core engineering during this maiden campaign. The final aircraft’s appearance, which pilots will be on board, and the details of the racing schedule are all still under wraps (for the time being) and are likely to be unveiled before the November season launch in Adelaide, but the exact dates and sites have yet to be confirmed.
This collaboration is still in its early stages, but DeLorean intends to begin creating their own race aircraft alongside engineering students from a few leading US institutions in 2027-28. This will allow them to include some new ideas and analytical work as they construct a DeLorean-specific airframe for future competition.
This is a significant move for DeLorean, who are still attempting to restore the brand beyond its stainless-steel sports car. The Alpha5 electric GT has been in development for quite some time, but it has yet to go into production. Entering the Airspeeder series allows them to make headlines in a different way, associating the DeLorean name with cutting-edge electric flying technology through competition rather than simply introducing a new road car. Some other big vehicle manufacturers are working on eVTOL projects for commercial usage, whereas DeLorean is pursuing a different approach, focusing on motorsport.
When the season officially begins, the DeLorean Airspeeder team will face teams from all across the world. We’ll have to wait and see what the aircraft look like, who is piloting them, and so on before the first race. For a brand that has previously been overshadowed by its movie popularity, this is a great opportunity to get the DeLorean name out there in a whole new type of competition where the course is an obstacle course in mid-air and the vehicles leave the earth behind.
Cameron Wynne, DeLorean’s chief brand officer, framed the decision in straightforward terms. “People have pictured a DeLorean in the sky for 40 years,” he said. “We decided it was time to stop picturing it.” Pearson welcomed the entry by calling DeLorean the original flying car brand in the public imagination, noting that the presence of an American icon on the grid in the series’ first international season signals where the sport is headed.
