NEWS

It’s Texas! Red Bull Air Race World Championship final announced

After a two-year absence, the new dimension of motorsport will return to the Texas Motor Speedway in a big way on 17-18 November 2018, for the first Red Bull Air Race World Championship final ever held in Fort Worth, USA.

Salzburg, Austria – Texas is famed as a place where everything is enormous, and the motorsport mecca of the Metroplex region – Texas Motor Speedway – will serve up a whopper of a welcome for the biggest battle of the Red Bull Air Race season. Across two days of heart-pounding action, an international field will fly at 230mph (370kmh) in the infield of the 1.5-mile oval, at eye level with spectators and pulling up to 12G in the final push to clinch the World Championship.
While Texas Motor Speedway is typically the playground of stars from NASCAR and IndyCar racing, the superspeedway has hosted the Red Bull Air Race twice previously, in 2014 and 2015. Odds are strong that this time, American fans will finally see a home favorite donning the traditional cowboy hat on the race podium: two-time titleholder and Texas native Kirby Chambliss is a perpetual threat in the lineup, and Massachusetts-born Michael Goulian is having the season of his career, making the Final Four in every race through the calendar’s midpoint.
As for the pilots who will claim the World Championship podium in the Lone Star State, with four races of the eight-stop season yet to come, and 14 of the world’s best pilots in contention, it is still too soon to call. Australia’s Matt Hall, hungry as a two-time overall runner-up (2015, 2016), holds the top of the leaderboard only two points ahead of the confident Goulian. But the second-place finisher from 2017, Czech ace Martin Šonka, is closing in fast at third, while dazzling young Frenchman Mika Brageot has surpassed all expectations in leaping up to fourth. On their heels are two powerful forces – defending World Champion Yoshihide Muroya of Japan and 2016 title-winner Matthias Dolderer of Germany – both poised to make a move.
“The people of Fort Worth have been wonderful hosts in the past, and we’re delighted to be able to shine a global spotlight on the Metroplex region by crowning our 2018 World Champion at Texas Motor Speedway,” says Erich Wolf, General Manager of Red Bull Air Race GmbH. “As the margins of victory get tighter and tighter, the Red Bull Air Race season finale only becomes more thrilling. Last year the title came down to the final seconds of the final round, and we can’t wait to see what happens this November.”
“This is probably the most unique event we have ever hosted,” Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage said. “You sit in the stands and look down to see the airplanes race through the track of pylons. We appreciate the Red Bull Air Race ’s faith in us by awarding the final 2018 Championship race to Texas Motor Speedway.”

Also reaching their season climax in Texas will be the pilots of the second competition category of the Red Bull Air Race, the Challenger Class, where US charger Kevin Coleman of Louisiana hopes to make a bid for his career-first Challenger Cup.
Season finale tickets are on sale now! To grab a seat in Texas and at all the stops in the exciting second half of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship season, visit www.redbullairrace.com.
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Red Bull Air Race 2018 Calendar
2-3 February: Abu Dhabi, UAE
20-22 April: Cannes, France
26-27 May: Chiba, Japan
23-24 June: Budapest, Hungary
25-26 August: Kazan, Russia
15-16 September: Wiener Neustadt, Austria
6-7 October: Indianapolis, USA
17-18 November: Fort Worth, USA

About Red Bull Air Race
Created in 2003, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship has held more than 80 races around the globe. The Red Bull Air Race World Championship features the world’s best race pilots in a pure motorsport competition that combines speed, precision and skill. Using the fastest, most agile, lightweight racing planes, pilots hit speeds of 370 kmh while enduring forces of up to 12G as they navigate a low-level slalom track marked by 25-meter-high, air-filled pylons. In 2014, the Challenger Cup was conceived to help the next generation of pilots develop the skills needed for potential advancement to the Master Class that vies for the World Championship.

For more editorial content, please visit www.redbullairracenewsroom.com.

Canada’s McLeod aims for repeat Budapest podium this weekend

After getting his season on track with a Final 4 appearance at May’s Red Bull Air Race in Chiba, Japan, Pete McLeod returns to the sport’s classic stop in Budapest, Hungary this weekend. Canadian hopes are high: Last year McLeod earned pole position, the DHL Fastest Lap Award and second place in the Hungarian capital, and went on to claim podiums in the next two races as well.

McLeod took fourth at the race in Japan last month, and Red Bull Air Race broadcast commentator Paul Bonhomme was impressed. “Pete employed excellent tactics on Qualifying Day. He flew a steady first run, clean and fast, and then in run two, he trimmed the margins, which unfortunately collected him some penalties, but it’s a safe way of flying on the Saturday, and it gives you a very good idea of where the margins are for Race Day,” said the three-time World Champion. “Pete clearly did his homework on Saturday night, because he got all the way to the Final 4 on Race Day. His Round of 14 flight was clinical, as was the Round of 8 flight, which looked REALLY smooth. His Final 4 flight was superb but for an early turn at Gate 7. That annoying two-second penalty moved him from a possible second place down to fourth, but it was a great day out.”

After the high of finishing a career-best third on the World Championship podium in 2017, in Chiba McLeod was relieved to advance to his first Final 4 of this season.

“A great race for me. It shows a constant improvement, so that’s the bright side. I’m really satisfied with my flying,” commented the 34-year-old from Ontario. “I went for the win, and I have no regrets with that.”

So far in 2018, McLeod has improved his race results with every stop, from 14th to seventh to fourth, and he has worked his way up to number seven in the standings. With 75 points still on offer over the last five races on the calendar, everything is possible. Given the Canadian’s extraordinary feel for the quick, narrow Budapest racetrack last year, Team McLeod fans are hoping that the location known as the “Pearl of the Danube” will be the start of a multi-race podium streak for the Canadian once again.

“This racetrack can be fast, but also a lot depends on whether the winds pick up around the buildings. It can get turbulent,” McLeod notes. “The Chain Bridge, the crowds, racing in the center of a city – it’s a unique stop that goes back to the early days of the sport, so it’s always fun to fly here.”

Pete McLeod’s race at the classic stop of Budapest is only days away. For tickets and all the World Championship updates: www.redbullairrace.com.

About Red Bull Air Race
Created in 2003, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship has held more than 80 races around the globe. The Red Bull Air Race World Championship features the world’s best race pilots in a pure motorsport competition that combines speed, precision and skill. Using the fastest, most agile, lightweight racing planes, pilots hit speeds of 370 kmh while enduring forces of up to 12G as they navigate a low-level slalom track marked by 25-meter-high, air-filled pylons. In 2014, the Challenger Cup was conceived to help the next generation of pilots develop the skills needed for potential advancement to the Master Class that vies for the World Championship.
For more editorial content, please visit www.redbullairracenewsroom.com.

Canadian pilot Pete McLeod races for Japan’s superfans this weekend

The only Red Bull Air Race pilot flying the Maple Leaf – Pete McLeod – will compete in the third stop of the eight-race World Championship at Chiba, Japan this weekend. He’s aiming to boost himself ever closer to the hard-won overall podium position he earned in 2017.

The 2018 season has provided its share of obstacles for McLeod, mainly in the form of penalties that have kept him from advancing to fight for the podium in the Final 4. But his seventh-place finish in France just a month ago was nonetheless a leap in the right direction. Just fifteen points – the amount awarded for a single race win – separate him from breaking into a tight trio currently at the top of the leaderboard. And it’s worth remembering that last year McLeod hit his stride mid-season, capturing four consecutive pole positions, earning three second-place finishes in a row and clinching the DHL Fastest Lap trophy for the entire year.

A challenge for the sport’s pilots as they head into Chiba is that few of them had access to their raceplanes, because the aircraft had to be transported from Europe to Japan.

“Having advance time with the raceplane can be a big benefit,” McLeod explains. “Not only for the pilot, but also technically for the rest of the team to improve the plane and have things ready for more relaxed environment come race week. That being said, given the global calendar in the Red Bull Air Race, it’s ‘normal’ to go long periods of time without having access to fly or work on your raceplane.”

Most pilots, however, have other aircraft to train with at home, and this is where McLeod currently finds himself at a disadvantage: “This season has a new challenge for me, because I currently do not have an aerobatic airplane I can fly to maintain my G-tolerance, timing and overall flight conditioning when I’m not at the race,” McLeod discloses. “Normally I use the aircraft that that I fly in freestyle displays for this conditioning, but I’m transitioning to another aircraft and it’s not yet available – not until later in the year.”

So how is the team preparing? McLeod describes: “My strategy in France was to arrive early to help eliminate more jet lag and get into the ‘race environment.’ At Chiba we will have even less time to prepare as the testing schedule has been shortened there. So the key for Chiba will be to maximize rest, energy, and conditioning – without actually flying – not an easy task.”

Fortunately, the pilot who thrives on flying in the Canadian wilderness is adept and calm when it comes to navigating obstacles.

“A lot can change in a hurry in this series, so I’m not worried about the season yet as far as my performance goes – but I’ll need to have a solid race soon,” says the 34-year-old. “It appears there are a couple teams with technological aircraft improvements that are really helping them hold a strong pace; moreso than last season. We are working on a couple changes to our aircraft that hopefully will close this gap. However, these changes are difficult to do during the season due to timing and access to the plane, so it will take a couple more races at least…hopefully it’s not too late.”

And on the up side, he concludes, “I’m feeling a big improvement in my energy, flying, and focus from the start of the year and looking forward to Chiba!”

See Pete McLeod race in Japan on Saturday and Sunday, 26-27 May: Tickets for the Red Bull Air Race World Championship are on sale now. Visit www.redbullairrace.com.

Canadian pilot Pete McLeod on this weekend’s race in Cannes: new partner, new destination, new start to season

After claiming his first overall podium in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship last fall, Canada’s Pete McLeod is back in action. February’s season opener in Abu Dhabi did not go his way, but with seven races left on the calendar – including the sport’s long-awaited debut in France on 20-22 April – the Canadian is aiming to get his campaign on track. Just before leaving his home in Ontario for the sunny shores of Cannes, McLeod took time for this exclusive interview.

Cannes, France

Pete, all the pilots seem be looking forward to this brand-new stop on the French Riviera. You, too?
PM: I’ve never been to the area before, but I hear it can be a beautiful and exciting place. It will be early spring, so while it should be a big contrast to the snow they’re predicting here in Canada, I don’t think the warmest weather will be in full swing. That will be great for the aircraft performance, but maybe not so great for the beach fashion!

You had some strong performances at the season opener, including the top time in one of the Free Practice sessions, but after getting a “Did Not Finish” on Race Day for Exceeding Maximum G, you said you were going to try to forget Abu Dhabi and move on. And of course that is exactly what Yoshi Muroya did after he exceeded max G at the 2017 opener – and he went on to win the Championship. So what is your mindset now?
PM: With no points from Abu Dhabi, it makes sense for Cannes to be looked at as the start of the 2018 season for me. I can’t change the outcome of Abu Dhabi, and it would be also unrealistic to think a first-round exit can’t happen again sometime: It can and likely will, and other pilots will probably experience the same. You need a good bit of luck to go a full season on-the-limit and never cross that line – it’s a fickle sport that way. The long break in this case was good for me, I think. I feel a lot more rested, focused and eager to be in the racetrack than I did going into Abu Dhabi.

That two-month break was unusually long – but maybe pretty lively, too, with your new little daughter just turning six months old at the beginning of April.
PM: Being a dad is definitely something new every day! Aria is growing fast and seems comfortable in the air… She already has logged almost 30 hours in the air!

You have also got someone new in your sportive family. Hamilton Watch announced in February that they are partnering with you…
PM: I’m thrilled to have Hamilton join me as a partner, and to be an ambassador for a brand with such great aviation history and passion. I think the combination of racing airplanes and the glamour of Cannes will make a special race for Hamilton, and it will be especially spectacular if one (or all three!) of their pilots stands on top of the podium in the end… I would be happy to share a podium with [Nicolas] Ivanoff and [Juan] Velarde – but even happier to be on the top of it!

Team McLeod takes off in Cannes with Free Practice sessions on Friday, followed by Qualifying on Saturday and Race Day on Sunday, 22 April. Tickets are on sale now. For all information and updates, visit www.redbullairrace.com.

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About Red Bull Air Race
Created in 2003, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship has held more than 80 races around the globe. The Red Bull Air Race World Championship features the world’s best race pilots in a pure motorsport competition that combines speed, precision and skill. Using the fastest, most agile, lightweight racing planes, pilots hit speeds of 370kmh while enduring forces of up to 12G as they navigate a low-level slalom track marked by 25-meter-high, air-filled pylons. In 2014, the Challenger Cup was conceived to help the next generation of pilots develop the skills needed for potential advancement to the Master Class that vies for the World Championship.
For more editorial content, please visit www.redbullairracenewsroom.com.

Canadian pilot Pete McLeod kicks off 2018 World Championship bid this weekend

After earning his first overall podium with third place in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship last season, Ontario’s Pete McLeod is back in action at the 2018 opener in Abu Dhabi this Friday and Saturday – and looking to move even higher.

“For me, the Red Bull Air Race is an expression of some of the greatest things in life – speed, extreme performance and world-class competition, and doing it all in an airplane,” says McLeod, who opens his seventh season in the sport over Abu Dhabi’s famed Corniche on 2-3 February.

Joining him in the hangar are the four colleagues who contributed to McLeod’s breakout success in 2017: technician Patrick “Pat” Phillips, team coordinator Charlotte Sandgaard, tactician Jeff “Hacker” Hack and technical assistant Mark Hindley. Together the team pulled off a remarkably consistent campaign, including third place at the season opener, four consecutive pole positions mid-season, a string of three consecutive second-place finishes, and a decisive win of the season’s DHL Fastest Lap trophy.

Most exciting for Canadian fans, McLeod was in a four-way battle for the World Championship crown right up until the eighth and final race, and he edged out a two-time titleholder to claim his place on the podium. Having grown up flying in all kinds of conditions in the Canadian wilderness, the pilot has always been a natural in the air, but this was a new level of performance, even for him.

McLeod says, “The 2017 season was a career best for me in the standings and a strong year across the board. The team and partners supporting me were very strong, and I was able to focus on racing as a result.”

While the Canadian is the first to admit that a new season is a clean slate, it is clear that he is feeling confident as he arrives in Abu Dhabi. And it is a great location to start: McLeod has taken home a total of three third-place trophies from the Emirates capital in the past.

Insiders are saying that with pilot skills and raceplane technology at an all-time high, the 2018 season is likely to be the most competitive ever seen in the Red Bull Air Race. When asked how he thinks the standings will shake out when it all wraps up next November, McLeod is reluctant to make predictions. “I like to take the season one race at a time,” he answers, “but I will say this: our goal for 2018 is more speed, more podiums and of course more points!”

Red Bull Air Race 2018 Calendar
2-3 February: Abu Dhabi, UAE
21-22 April: Cannes, France
26-27 May: Asia, location TBA
23-24 June: Budapest, Hungary
4-5 August: Asia, location TBA
25-26 August: Kazan, Russia
6-7 October: Indianapolis, USA
November: Europe, location TBA

About Red Bull Air Race
Created in 2003, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship has held more than 80 races around the globe. The Red Bull Air Race World Championship features the world’s best race pilots in a pure motorsport competition that combines speed, precision and skill. Using the fastest, most agile, lightweight racing planes, pilots hit speeds of 370kmh while enduring forces of up to 10G as they navigate a low-level slalom track marked by 25-meter-high, air-filled pylons. In 2014, the Challenger Cup was conceived to help the next generation of pilots develop the skills needed for potential advancement to the Master Class that vies for the World Championship.

McLeod takes historic first World Championship podium for Canada

At the Red Bull Air Race season finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the USA on Sunday, Canada’s Pete McLeod became the first Canadian ever to claim an overall podium in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship, taking third place to top off a standout season.

INDIANAPOLIS (USA) – With high winds, the season finale was heartstopping from the very beginning. McLeod, who came to Indianapolis at third in the overall standings with a chance to take the title, was in the first heat and blazing his way to advancement over French pilot Mikaël Brageot when – going through the Finish Gate – he clipped a pylon for a three-second penalty. His 2017 championship hopes were over, but the points the Canadian had accumulated throughout a season that included four podiums were enough to hold him in third place when the race was over.

“It was wild out there, and I expected that. I had a lot of fun, enjoying the run is all you can do on a day like today, and I’d go out there again if I could. On the bright side, I made it all the way through the track before I hit my pylon, which is better than some of the guys out there. But that’s how it was today,” said the Team McLeod pilot, who will be taking his trophy home to his wife and a brand-new baby daughter. “Overall, I’m really happy with the season – you’re going to have ups and downs, but it was great.”

The Czech Republic’s Martin Šonka and Japan’s Yoshihide Muroya, ranked one and two in the standings, went head to head in the Round of 14. Flying first, Muroya’s championship hopes also seemed to be over when he incurred a two-second penalty – but in the strong winds Šonka hit a pylon for a three-second penalty that advanced Japan’s hero to the Round of 8. Muroya still couldn’t rest, because Šonka ended up advancing after all as the round’s fastest loser. When the title contenders both won their Round of 8 heats, it all came down to the Final 4.

There, going first with everything on the line, Muroya flew to a new track record of 1:03.026 that 2016 World Champion Matthias Dolderer of Germany and Spain’s Juan Velarde couldn’t match. The pressure all was on Šonka. The Czech pilot flew cleanly, but with a technical issue plus a wing stall in the Vertical Turning Maneuver, he could manage only 1:07.280, and both the race win and Asia’s first Red Bull Air Race World Championship belonged to Muroya.

As the race awards were handed out in the iconic infield of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Muroya was joined on the podium by Dolderer in second and Velarde in third. Then, when the World Championship trophy was presented, Muroya was sprayed with champagne by McLeod and Šonka, who finished second overall.

Results Master Class race Indianapolis 2017:
1. Yoshihide Muroya (JPN), 2. Matthias Dolderer (GER), 3. Juan Velarde (ESP), 4. Martin Šonka (CZE), 5. Petr Kopfstein (CZE), 6. Mikaël Brageot (FRA), 7. Michael Goulian (USA), 8. Matt Hall (AUS), 9. Cristian Bolton (CHI), 10. Kirby Chambliss (USA), 11. Pete McLeod (CAN), 12. François Le Vot (FRA), 13. Nicolas Ivanoff (FRA), 14. Peter Podlunšek (SLO)

Final standings, 2017 Red Bull Air Race World Championship: 1. Yoshihide Muroya (JPN) 74 pts,   2. Martin Šonka (CZE) 70 points, 3. Pete McLeod (CAN) 56 pts, 4. Kirby Chambliss (USA) 53 pts, 5. Petr Kopfstein (CZE) 43 pts, 6. Matt Hall (AUS) 40 pts, 7. Matthias Dolderer (GER) 39 pts, 8. Juan Velarde (ESP) 37 pts, 9. Michael Goulian (USA) 28 pts, 10. Mikaël Brageot (FRA) 24 pts, 11. Nicolas Ivanoff (FRA) 16 pts, 12. Peter Podlunšek (SLO) 14 pts, 13. Cristian Bolton (CHI) 9 pts, 14. François Le Vot (FRA) 9 pts

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ABOUT RED BULL AIR RACE
Created in 2003, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship celebrated its landmark 75th race at the 2017 season opener in Abu Dhabi. The Red Bull Air Race World Championship features the world’s best race pilots in a pure motorsport competition that combines speed, precision and skill. Using the fastest, most agile, lightweight racing planes, pilots hit speeds of 370kmh while enduring forces of up to 10G as they navigate a low-level slalom track marked by 25-meter-high, air-filled pylons. In 2014, the Challenger Cup was conceived to help the next generation of pilots develop the skills needed for potential advancement to the Master Class that vies for the World Championship.

NEWSROOM
The Red Bull Air Race Newsroom is a free media service providing news, stories, high-resolution photography, audio, footage for TV and web, as well as race results and background information about the Red Bull Air Race World Championship. www.redbullairracenewsroom.com

All content is free for editorial use.

MEDIA CONTACT
If you have any questions, please contact us at media@redbullairrace.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA
We invite you to follow the Red Bull Air Race World Championship on Facebook,InstagramTwitter and Youtube.

MEDIA PRODUCTS AVAILABLE
October 15, 2017
Challenger Class race & Challenger Cup results release & images
Master Class race & World Championship results release & images
Race Day recap clip
Newscut
Pilot selects

October 16, 2017
Best moments clip
Quotes of the weekend

What Will It Take to Win the World Championship?

There’s just a single race left before the 2017 Red Bull Air Race World Champion is crowned. Find out which pilots are still in the hunt, and what results will give one of them the season trophy.

After seven intense races in seven countries, Martin Šonka (CZE), Yoshihide Muroya (JPN), Pete
McLeod (CAN) and Kirby Chambliss (USA) remain in the running for the 2017 title. Here’s how the
possibilities shape up for the Red Bull Air Race season finale at the holy grail of motorsport, the USA’s
Indianapolis Motor Speedway. (To know: If there’s a tie in the points, the World Championship is decided
on race results. The pilot with the most 2017 race wins gets the title; or if both have the same number of
wins, the trophy goes to the pilot with the most second-place results, and so on.)

Martin Šonka

(Currently 63 points with 2 wins, 2 thirds, 1 fourth, 1 fifth, 1 ninth)
At the top of the standings, Šonka is the man to beat. He could – on paper, anyway – wear the crown
even if he finishes last at Indianapolis. But his opponents aren’t likely to give him that much help!
Result at Indy Total Points Wins World Championship If…

Win 78(No ifs about it, the title is Šonka’s)

2nd75(Šonka is also a lock with second place)

3rd72Muroya doesn’t win

4th70Muroya finishes under 2nd, McLeod doesn’t win

5th69Muroya finishes under 2nd, McLeod doesn’t win

6th68Muroya finishes under 3rd, McLeod doesn’t win

7th67Muroya finishes under 3rd, McLeod under 2nd, Chambliss doesn’t win

8th66Muroya finishes under 4th, McLeod under 2nd, Chambliss doesn’t win

9th65Muroya finishes under 5th, McLeod under 2nd, Chambliss doesn’t win

10th64Muroya finishes under 6th, McLeod under 3rd, Chambliss under 2nd

11th-14th 63Muroya finishes under 7th, McLeod under 3rd, Chambliss under 2nd

 

Yoshi Muroya

(Currently 59 points with 3 wins, 1 third, 1 sixth, 2 thirteenths)

The only pilot with three wins so far this season, Muroya is in a strong position only four points behind
Šonka. But if he finishes lower than 7th place at the speedway, his chance for the championship is gone.
Result at Indy Total Points Wins World Championship If…

Win74Šonka finishes under 2nd

2nd71Šonka finishes under 3rd

3rd68Šonka finishes under 5th, McLeod doesn’t win

4th66Šonka finishes under 7th, McLeod under 2nd, Chambliss doesn’t win

5th65Šonka finishes under 8th, McLeod under 2nd, Chambliss doesn’t win

6th64Šonka finishes under 9th, McLeod under 3rd, Chambliss doesn’t win

7th63Šonka finishes under 10th, McLeod under 3rd, Chambliss under 2nd

 

Pete McLeod

(Currently 56 points with 0 wins, 3 seconds, 1 third, 1 fifth, 1 seventh, 1 tenth)

McLeod has been on the podium four times in 2017, more than any previous season in his career. To
take the title for Canada, he must add one more race podium to that tally… and get a little help from his
rivals.

Result at Indy Total Points Wins World Championship If…
Win71Šonka finishes under 3rd, Muroya under 2nd
2nd68Šonka finishes under 6th, Muroya under 3rd
3rd65Šonka finishes under 9th, Muroya under 5th, Chambliss doesn’t win

 

Kirby Chambliss

(Currently 52 points with 2 wins, 2 fourths, 1 sixth, 1 eighth, 1 eleventh)
The odds are against the two-time titleholder, but another World Championship could still be in the cards
if Chambliss finishes first or second and Lady Luck does the rest.
Result at Indy Total Points Wins World Championship If…

Win67Šonka finishes under 7th, Muroya under 3rd, McLeod under 2nd

2nd64Šonka finishes under 10th, Muroya under 6th, McLeod under 3rd

You do not want to miss this. Tickets are on sale now for the Red Bull Air Race World Championship at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on 14-15 October 2017. For more information on tickets and all the latest, visit www.redbullairrace.com

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For more information and images visit: www.redbullairracenewsroom.com
About Red Bull Air Race:

Created in 2003, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship celebrated its landmark 75th race at the
2017 season opener in Abu Dhabi. The Red Bull Air Race World Championship features the world’s best
race pilots in a pure motorsport competition that combines speed, precision and skill. Using the fastest,
most agile, lightweight racing planes, pilots hit speeds of 370kmh while enduring forces of up to 10G as
they navigate a low-level slalom track marked by 25-meter-high, air-filled pylons. In 2014, the Challenger
Cup was conceived to help the next generation of pilots develop the skills needed for potential
advancement to the Master Class that vies for the World Championship.

Four in a row: McLeod claims Porto pole

A crowd of 250,000 were cheering In Porto, Portugal on Saturday, as Canada’s Pete McLeod clinched the top time in Qualifying for the fourth Red Bull Air Race stop in a row. Overall World Championship leader Kirby Chambliss of the United States clocked the second-best result, and in one of Porto’s biggest stories, Japan’s Yoshihide Muroya came back from technical problems to take third. Race Day in Portugal is Sunday.

Porto (PORTUGAL) – It’s been eight years since Porto hosted a Red Bull Air Race, and the huge crowds were breathless with anticipation. McLeod’s 1:07.192 was the class of the field, a full three-quarters of a second ahead of Chambliss. The American’s time of 1:07.942 barely edged out not only Muroya (1:07.972), but also Petr Kopfstein of the Czech Republic (1:07.979).

The excitement is even higher because with just three races to go, the World Championship standings are as tight as the Porto racetrack – and in two of three previous Porto races, the winner has gone on to clinch the World Championship. Chambliss, Muroya, Czech pilot Martin Šonka and McLeod are locked within a two-point spread at the top of the overall leaderboard, with Kopfstein right behind in fifth overall. When Qualifying finished on Saturday afternoon, Muroya may have been the most relieved: His team put in an exceptional effort to repair a crack discovered in their raceplane’s airframe on Thursday, finishing final inspections only on Saturday morning. While Šonka finished seventh in Qualifying, he’s expected to be a real threat on Race Day, as he set the Porto track record in Free Practice with 1:06.222.

In the Red Bull Air Race, the pilots who finish fastest in Qualifying race head to head with the pilots at the bottom of the timesheet. McLeod will go up against Chile’s Cristian Bolton, who did not start in Qualifying because of a radio issue, and Chambliss will face off with Spain’s Juan Velarde, who also was unable to start Qualifying because of propeller damage in Free Practice.

“We’ve had a good season but no wins yet. The plane is running good, flying’s good and the team is working well together. We need a bit of luck and things to go our way on Race Day,” said McLeod, who has earned three podiums in 2017. “To come out with two second places this season and think it’s underperforming shows how far we’ve come. There’s a lot of speed out there, and if I do my job well, we’ve got the chance to win.”

McLeod earned his fourth consecutive DHL Fastest Lap Award for flying the fastest single lap among the two-lap Qualifying runs. At the 2017 finale, the pilot with the most awards will be presented with the DHL Fastest Lap trophy, and the Canadian’s new tally assures him of the honor

Canadian pilot McLeod returns to Porto on 2-3 September

The last time the Red Bull Air Race headed to Porto, Portugal, it was 2009, and Canada’s Pete McLeod was a newcomer with only four races under his belt. Now, eight years later, he’s in the heart of the World Championship battle with just three stops left in the season.

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McLeod to race in Russia for the first time this weekend

Since joining the Red Bull Air Race in 2009, Canadian pilot Pete McLeod has competed all over the world – but never before in Russia. That will change this weekend when the first Russian race in the history of the sport takes off in Kazan.

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