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.

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.

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.

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.