Remember the time Roger Federer and Andre Agassi played a tennis match on the helipad? or when David Coulthard spun his Formula One car around in donuts on the roof? Well, the iconic helipad atop Dubai‘s Burj Al Arab has just turned 20.
To celebrate the helipad’s 20th anniversary, we’ve put together a list of the five most outrageous stunts performed on the roof.
1. Iconic Roger Federer vs Andre Agassi helipad match
In 2005, Roger Federer and Andre Agassi stepped through the building’s glass elevators to the helipad and made headlines all over the world. In probably one of the most outlandish publicity stunts, Agassi and Federer proceeded to play a game that is still talked about almost 14 years later.
“This was an absolutely amazing experience,” Agassi told ATPWorldTour.com at the time.
“When you first get over how high you are and start playing, it’s an absolute joy and it was a great time. I had no issues with the height as long as I didn’t have to bungee jump off the side.”
2. David Coulthard’s F1 car donuts
This sounds a little bit crazy but to celebrate winning the Formula One championship and the driver’s championship in 2013 Infiniti Red Bull Racing’s 750bhp Formula One car became the first to run on the Burj Al Arab helipad. The car was involved in an insane show of burning rubber and tyre smoke where David Coulthard spun donuts round and round the helipad.
Seconds after completing donuts in the car, David Coulthard stepped out of the cockpit and said: “That was a lot of fun. When Red Bull first suggested the idea to me I said ‘why not?’. I like getting involved with anything that pushes the boundaries and it’s what Red Bull stands for. I think this will produce fantastic, iconic shots in an amazing town and I’m really privileged to be part of it.”
3. BMX biker jumped off a helicopter onto the roof
BMX biker Kriss Kyle took his love of extreme stunts to a whole new level this week when he leaped out of a helicopter and onto the helipad of the Burj Al Arab hotel.
Kyle told The Sun, “he had to face his fear of heights for the jump and knew he couldn’t take too long as the chopper set itself up above a ramp on the helipad for a number of reasons.”
He jumped 14ft from the chopper and onto a 12ft ramp before another 30ft drop to the hotel
Don’t believe that the stunt is real? Just take a look at the video below.
4. Aston Martin landed their Vanquish on the roof via helicopter
Aston Martincelebrated its centenary in Dubai by landing a Vanquish on top of Dubai’s Burj Al Arab. The car was clamped onto a cradle and then lifted into the air by a Sikorsky Helicopter.
