29 March 2010
Defending champion Paul Bonhomme of Britain won the first Red Bull Air Race of the 2010 season in Abu Dhabi on Saturday with a hard-fought victory in scorching heat, finishing just ahead of compatriot Nigel Lamb (2nd) and Hungary’s Peter Besenyei (3rd) in an eventful battle over the turquoise waters of the Arabian Gulf. Austria’s Hannes Arch finished a disappointing 11th after posting the fastest Qualifying time on Friday.
Speaking exclusively to FLYER, Bonhomme explained, “The Abu Dhabi race was a tactical, physiological and technical challenge throughout. Tactical because the wind changed on race day from the northerly that we has trained in all week to a southerly wind, which meant changing the racing line. Physiological because the ambient air temperature was 42°C and my cockpit temperature showed 45°C (and that was before I closed the air vents for racing). And technical because the fuel pumps (both electric and mechanical) on these aeroplanes don’t like being so hot and once the fuel has evaporated in the pump, it makes starting incredibly difficult. Three pilots did not progress because they could not start their engines in the heat. What fun though and we’re looking forward to Perth mindful of the fact that we’ll have to be extremely careful not to squander our excellent start to the year.” (www.teambonhomme.com)
Lamb and Besenyei, who both struggled somewhat in fair weather training earlier in the week, rose to the occasion in the heat and treacherous winds. Visibility was also hampered by desert winds filled with sand.
“Today was a day of race tactics and strategy,” said Lamb. The Team Breitling pilot added that he hoped to make a habit of getting on the podium after taking an identical second place in Barcelona. “One would be deluded to think it’s going to be easy. There are at least 12 pilots this year who have been putting in times that are within a few seconds of each other. It’s going to be a very interesting season.”
The first race of the 2010 season was also a learning experience for the two rookies. Martin Sonka of the Czech Republic, who celebrated his 32nd birthday with a strong performance in Qualifying on Friday, picked up 20 penalty points on Saturday and ended up 13th. Brazil’s Adilson Kindlemann had an even more eventful race, picking up 28 penalty points including 12 for hitting two Air Gates.
The next stop of the eight-race season takes place in Perth, Western Australia on April 17/18.
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