Pete McLeod will continue his 2018 campaign in the Red Bull Air Race this Saturday and Sunday, 15-16 September, when the World Championship takes off in Wiener Neustadt, Austria for the first time. Then, it is back home to North America for the final two races of the season. Here, the Canadian pilot shares his thoughts on the Austrian race and more.

Pete, welcome to Wiener Neustadt. The very first Red Bull Air Race was held in Zeltweg, Austria 15 years ago, way before you joined the field in 2009, but you raced at an Austrian track in Spielberg from 2014 through 2016. How does it feel to be back?

PM: Austria is one of my favorite countries. I have many great memories in Austria and always look forward to making more.

What do you like about it?

PM: The people, nature, food and culture feel very connected in Austria, and to me that makes it a very nice place, a place I feel comfortable in!

Wiener Neustadt will be the first land-based track of the season, ahead of two more at speedways in Indianapolis and Fort Worth, and it’s also the first 2018 race with a standing start. Thoughts?

PM: I’m happy about the land tracks and the style of track, but having a “standing start” in two of the three races could be a real wild card. I struggled with engine setup at the stop in Russia, as some of the onboard systems tied to this are aging and losing accuracy. And engine setup is one of the biggest challenges with races that start from the ground.

With just three weeks between that race in Kazan, Russia and this weekend’s stop in Austria, it’s been a quick turnaround. Did you go all the way home to Ontario?

PM: Yes, I went back to Canada, staying very busy with flying and air shows now that I again have an aerobatic plane at home. It’s a demanding schedule from now through the end of the year, but great to be in the air on a regular basis.

Do you have any upcoming plans for your raceplane since it’ll soon be in North America for the first time all season?

PM: Absolutely, we are also busy with preparing for maintenance, modifications and developments on the raceplane that will be critical for the finish of the season and, more importantly now, 2019. But first we’ve got the race this weekend, and that’s our focus. There’s a lot of history behind this airfield – planes started flying here more than a hundred years ago. We’re looking forward to getting into the track.

Team McLeod will race in Wiener Neustadt, Austria on 15-16 September, 2018. For tickets and all the World Championship news: 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 km/h 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.
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