With just two races before the first Red Bull Air Race in London, Britain’s Paul Bonhomme still leads the series
Hungary’s Peter Besenyei edged past Paul Bonhomme to win the U.S. round of the Red Bull series by 0.97 seconds in the stunning Western-style setting of Monument Valley at the weekend. But Bonhomme managed to hold onto first place in the overall championship with 15 points, just one point ahead of Besenyei after three races.Flying just 30ft above the ground in the thin desert air at 5,200ft asl, Besenyei and Bonhomme put in the most consistent performances of the 14 pilots over the race weekend. Bonhomme’s Team Matador team-mate Steve Jones hit an air gate in the quarter-finals leaving his Edge 540 slightly damaged and forcing him to retire. “I’m pleased with the season so far,” said Bonhomme, of Cambridgeshire, who also flies an Edge 540. “A lot of it is the airplane and I think I’m pointing it in the right direction in a good way, so I’m pleased. I hope people aren’t seeing me as the favourite now; no actually of course I do. But what I’m saying is that I don’t want too many expectations. This is a long season. There’s going to be a lot happening. I think it’s going to be hard to stay at the top”.Next stop is in Istanbul, Turkey, on 1 & 2 June; the London round will be held on 28 & 29 July.Checkout some cracking video from the race by clicking the icon on the right.
