24 September 2007
British Red Bull Air Race pilot Paul Bonhomme has recaptured the lead in the series with a victory at the most recent event in San Diego. He is now two points ahead of closest rival Mike Mangold, with just one race to come.
The race, which took place over San Diego’s Embarcadero Bay in front of 50,000 spectators, was made more difficult by thunderstorms in the hours leading up to the race and powerful winds off the Pacific.
Bonhomme won the final fly-off against American Kirby Chambliss with a time of 1:23.80. Another Briton, Nigel Lamb (featured in FLYER’s August 2007 issue) came third. Mike Mangold, who had started the race as championship leader, came fifth. He had struggled in Friday’s qualifying and hit a pylon.
“It was the last race of the day and I went for it”, said Bonhomme. “I was concentrating hard and looking at all the tactics that the other people have been using and it paid off. It helps enormously to be relaxed. That’s the key”.
Mike Mangold, Bonhomme’s closest challenger, said: “It doesn’t help my cause (falling so far behind Paul). He was amazingly fast. I don’t know how he pulled that one out. He’s obviously in a great position. We’ll go down there [Perth] and battle it out.”
The last – and deciding – race of this year’s Red Bull series takes place in Perth on 4 November.
