14 May 2007
Hungary’s Peter Besenyei narrowly beat Briton Paul Bonhomme in the latest round of the Red Bull Air Race championships in Monument Valley in the United States on Saturday. The result leaves Bonhomme at the head of the championship table after three events – despite the fact that Besenyei has won two of the races.
“I’m very happy. I was lucky today. I didn’t make any big mistakes. If you make a mistake, you’re out of the game,” said Besenyei after the race.
The challenge of Monument Valley includes the fact that it is 5,200 ft above sea level. Bonhomme’s team mate and fellow Brit Steve Jones answered one question that many have about the sport: what happens if you hit one of the air gates? The gates deflated (as it’s supposed to do) and Jones escaped without injury, but his aircraft – a Zivko Edge 540, the same as Bonhomme’s – was slightly damaged and he was forced to retire.
The next race in the series is in Istanbul; it takes place at the start of June.
