Red Bull Air Race moves to Europe

BUDAPEST, Hungary – The Red Bull Air Race World Championship moves to Europe for the second half of the 2009 season on 19/20 August when 15 pilots will be back to battle it out in Budapest, Hungary. The Hungarian capital has become a traditional fixture on the race calendar and will host the competition for the sixth year running. Tens of thousands are expected to line the banks of the Danube River where a high speed race track featuring 20-metre high ‘Air Gates’ will be set up between Margaret Bridge and Chain Bridge. If water levels permit the pilots will be faced with an added breath-taking challenge – flying underneath the picturesque Chain Bridge which marks the start and finish of the track.

Bonhomme is aiming high in Budapest

Defending champion Hannes Arch of Austria will be trying to stay in front of his great rival, Britain’s Paul Bonhomme in the fourth race of the season. Bonhomme won a thrilling race in Windsor, Canada last month, moving just one point behind leader Arch. The confident Brit, who narrowly lost out on the championship last year to Arch, is more determined than ever and with a newly primed engine he is aiming high in Budapest. “We’ll be arriving with a better engine than before. Roll on Budapest!” said Bonhomme.

Hungarian support for Arch

Arch won last year’s race in Budapest which is next to his home country, but undoubtedly all eyes will be on Hungary’s very own Peter Besenyei, who will be looking forward to racing again after missing out in Windsor due to a forced landing before the third race of the season which left his plane damaged. “Of course I’m disappointed about not being able to compete in Windsor,” he said. “But I’m looking forward to Budapest now. I’ve been busy getting my plane fixed in time for the race and I can’t wait to fly it again especially with the support of the Hungarian people.”

World Championship 2009 is not over yet

Budapest promises to be more than just a battle between Arch and Bonhomme. American Kirby Chambliss, the 2006 World Champion who took third in Windsor and won the Qualifying point has made a dazzling return to the top of the field with a new engine while compatriot Mike Mangold got a season-best fourth in Canada. The field has become more competitive than ever before with nine pilots crowding the top of the time sheets and all capable of landing on the podium. Russia’s Sergey Rakhmanin got a career-best fifth in Windsor while American Michael Goulian got a season-best sixth. High-flying rookie Matt Hall slipped to seventh but moved up to fourth overall after Windsor.

With the competition narrowing at the top and three races left in the 2009 World Championship Bonhomme believes that it’s not over yet. “As we’ve seen before, lots can happen in this championship and I reckon it’s still wide open. Any one of us can still win it.”

Qualifying takes place on Wednesday 19 August at 13:00 local time, followed by Race Day on Thursday 20 August starting at 13:00.

Source: Red Bull Air Race