Defending champion Paul Bonhomme posted the third place in the qualification today in Abu Dhabi. The surprise of today was Nigel Lamb with his second place 1.55 behind the number two of last season Hannes Arch.

Nigel Lamb, “What a relief to find that we’re not too far off the pace at the beginning of the season!”

Hannes Arch was the fastest pilot in the qualification of Abu Dhabi. In the first half of the second qualification round Paul Bonhomme was faster than Arch, Bonhomme was 0.12 ahead at the midway point. But he slowed slightly in the second lap. He then hit the final pylon! Dropped him down to third.

The victim of the new weight rules was No 36 Team Maclean – The technical inspection of the Technical Director results that the Race Plane of Team Maclean is not conform with the Rules, and is therefore suspended. Maclean says: “Just before any race or Qualification, the planes are weighed to see if they comply. Apparently our plane was slightly underweight. It’s unfortunate. It was really tight. Just half a kg above the minimum weight. so we’re really unhappy. We were probably a bit too comfortable about it. But we’re out. So no Quali for us today.”

Maclean will be able to race in Saturday’s Wild Card competition if he can get his plane back up to the 540 kg minimum weight.

First Round Qualification

Rank	Name	Nation	Int. 1	Int. 2	Int. 3	Time	Diff.	Pen
1	Arch Hannes	AUT	15.91	35.91	53.67	1:13.33	Â	0
2	Bonhomme Paul	GBR	15.70	35.44	52.26	1:14.45	+ 1.12	2
3	Ivanoff Nicolas	FRA	15.70	36.25	54.68	1:15.50	+ 2.17	0
4	Lamb Nigel	GBR	16.34	37.21	54.50	1:15.66	+ 2.33	0
5	Hall Matt	AUS	16.47	37.40	55.32	1:16.33	+ 3.00	0
6	Goulian Michael	USA	16.12	37.95	55.50	1:16.52	+ 3.19	0
7	Muroya Yoshihide	JPN	15.23	38.28	55.74	1:16.67	+ 3.34	2
8	Chambliss Kirby	USA	17.20	37.31	56.04	1:18.18	+ 4.85	2
9	Besenyei Peter	HUN	16.50	38.90	59.68	1:21.00	+ 7.67	2
10	Rakhmanin Sergey	RUS	22.20	43.48	1:01.11	1:22.71	+ 9.38	6
11	Sonka Martin	CZE	17.15	39.94	1:01.45	1:24.30	+ 10.97	2
12	McLeod Pete	CAN	15.33	43.82	1:00.96	1:27.67	+ 14.34	14
13	Dolderer Matthias	GER	21.36	43.41	Â	DSQ	Â	Â
14	Kindlemann Adilson	BRA	21.72	49.33	1:09.77	DSQ	Â	Â
15	Maclean Alejandro	ESP	Â	Â	Â	DNS	Â	Â

Second Round Qualification

Rank	Name	Nation	Int. 1	Int. 2	Int. 3	Time	Diff.	Pen
1	Arch Hannes	AUT	15.63	35.67	53.21	1:12.78	Â	0
2	Lamb Nigel	GBR	15.96	36.63	53.67	1:14.33	+ 1.55	0
3	Hall Matt	AUS	16.14	36.80	54.21	1:15.00	+ 2.22	0
4	Chambliss Kirby	USA	16.86	37.10	55.94	1:16.21	+ 3.43	0
5	Goulian Michael	USA	16.30	37.25	55.30	1:16.43	+ 3.65	0
6	Besenyei Peter	HUN	16.68	37.70	56.37	1:18.22	+ 5.44	0
7	Dolderer Matthias	GER	16.19	39.40	57.02	1:18.38	+ 5.60	2
8	Bonhomme Paul	GBR	15.94	35.82	53.09	1:19.09	+ 6.31	6
9	Ivanoff Nicolas	FRA	21.86	42.53	59.90	1:20.57	+ 7.79	6
10	Sonka Martin	CZE	17.71	40.58	1:00.11	1:22.89	+ 10.11	0
11	Muroya Yoshihide	JPN	21.81	43.51	1:02.01	1:23.16	+ 10.38	6
12	Rakhmanin Sergey	RUS	17.65	41.23	1:02.43	1:26.28	+ 13.50	6
13	Kindlemann Adilson	BRA	20.57	44.42	1:12.81	1:38.91	+ 26.13	12
14	McLeod Pete	CAN	16.97	38.09	55.57	DSQ	Â	Â
15	Maclean Alejandro	ESP	Â	Â	Â	DNS	Â	Â

Overall Qualification

Rank	Name	Nation	Int. 1	Int. 2	Int. 3	Rnd.	Time	Diff.	Pen
1	Arch Hannes	AUT	15.63	35.67	53.21	Q2	1:12.78	Â	0
2	Lamb Nigel	GBR	15.96	36.63	53.67	Q2	1:14.33	+ 1.55	0
3	Bonhomme Paul	GBR	15.70	35.44	52.26	Q1	1:14.45	+ 1.67	2
4	Hall Matt	AUS	16.14	36.80	54.21	Q2	1:15.00	+ 2.22	0
5	Ivanoff Nicolas	FRA	15.70	36.25	54.68	Q1	1:15.50	+ 2.72	0
6	Chambliss Kirby	USA	16.86	37.10	55.94	Q2	1:16.21	+ 3.43	0
7	Goulian Michael	USA	16.30	37.25	55.30	Q2	1:16.43	+ 3.65	0
8	Muroya Yoshihide	JPN	15.23	38.28	55.74	Q1	1:16.67	+ 3.89	2
9	Besenyei Peter	HUN	16.68	37.70	56.37	Q2	1:18.22	+ 5.44	0
10	Dolderer Matthias	GER	16.19	39.40	57.02	Q2	1:18.38	+ 5.60	2
11	Rakhmanin Sergey	RUS	22.20	43.48	1:01.11	Q1	1:22.71	+ 9.93	6
12	Sonka Martin	CZE	17.71	40.58	1:00.11	Q2	1:22.89	+ 10.11	0
13	McLeod Pete	CAN	15.33	43.82	1:00.96	Q1	1:27.67	+ 14.89	14
14	Kindlemann Adilson	BRA	20.57	44.42	1:12.81	Q2	1:38.91	+ 26.13	12
15	Maclean Alejandro	ESP	Â	Â	Â	Q1	DNS	Â	Â