Red Bull Air Race
Back in action: Red Bull Air Race lands in Poland
After over a month off, the pilots competing in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship will climb back into their planes and take to the skies. The high-flying Red Bull summer continues in Gdynia, Poland.
Normally, Gdansk Bay is a hub of maritime activity, with boats of all shapes and sizes sailing in and out of Poland’s port city of Gdynia on the southern Baltic Sea. But this weekend, the real attraction will be flying above the water as the Red Bull pilots weave their planes through the course in pursuit of the World Title.
What have the pilots been up to this summer?
Coming into Gdynia, Austria’s Hannes Arch has 30 points and a five point lead over the reigning champion, Paul Bonhomme of Great Britain. The battle for third place is a dead heat at the moment, with Nigel Lamb and Pete McLeod tied at 17 points. Australian Matt Hall rounds out the top of the field with 14 points. Check out the full standings to see who is still in contention for the title.
Speaking with the Red Bull Air Race website recently, former World Champion Arch said it is his careful balance of precision and risk-taking that make him a successful pilot.
“It's a combination of flying precisely and flying on the edge – not dangerously, just close enough to risk a penalty.” (Hannes Arch on his flying style)
“I think it's sometimes misunderstood that my flying style's too risky,” the 46-year-old said. “It's not. I feel really comfortable and in control.”
His attention to detail is one of the things that make him stack up so well against Bonhomme, a well-respected pilot who is seen as the man to beat this season. Arch says they both study the course very closely before race day, enabling them to shave a few tenths of a second off of their times and distance themselves from the competition.
Fans lucky enough to make it out to the race in Gdynia will be treated to an excellent weekend of racing as the middle part of the season gets under way. Red Bull has prepared a Gdynia checklist of things to keep in mind if you’re headed to the race, and the city has a free appyou can download as well.
Can’t catch the action in person from Gdynia? The next race is August 16-17 in Ascot, England, and we’ll have you covered with the latest from the Red Bull Air Race World Championship right here on DHL InMotion.
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