12 May 2015
The Red Bull Air Race will make its debut in Japan on 16-17 May. Two-time World Champion Paul Bonhomme of Britain, who won the season opener in Abu Dhabi, will be looking for a second straight victory over the man-made beach at the Makuhari Seaside Park in Chiba, a city with a proud aviation tradition and the location of Japan’s first civilian airfield in 1912. Japan’s own Yoshihide Muroya (pictured) is hopeful that his new Edge 540 V3 airplane will help him against Bonhomme and the other 12 pilots.
The anticipated typhoon, which is unusual for this time of year, has given teams more time to work on their aircraft until the scheduled training takes place on Friday 15 May. The typhoon is expected to pass by and at this stage is not expected to affect any racing on the weekend. Steve Jones, Race Director of the Red Bull Air Race explains, “The track in Chiba is unique and we’ve not seen a track like this before. One factor is the weather, but the typhoon won’t affect any racing conditions on the weekend as the forecast is clear. So the pilots will need to make use of this time to plan their racing strategy. Not only is it one lap but it also has some very long straights between the Gates. Flying efficiently in difficult conditions is what can make a Champion.”
Muroya, who got a career-best third place in the second stop of the 2014 season in Rovinj, Croatia, will be hoping for another top result in the second stop of the 2015 season. It’s his fourth season in the Red Bull Air Race and he has been looking forward to bringing the sport home since his debut race in 2009.
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