Briton Paul Bonhomme has won the New York leg of the Red Bull Air Race over the June 19-20 weekend, while Australian pilot Matt Hall was forced to sit out the event following his near miss in Windsor.
Bonhomme edged out compatriot Nigel Lamb while Kirby Chambliss took out third place. Austrian Hannes Arch, who was only two points behind Bonhomme in the championship, placed fourth after hitting a pylon during the final race of the weekend. The result sees Bonhomme retain top position in the championship standings, five points ahead of Arch while Lamb holds third place.
Despite hoping to race in New York, former RAAF pilot Hall was forced to watch the racing from the stands after the race committee imposed sanctions on him following his contact with the water during the previous round in Windsor, Canada. “I’ve analysed everything since then,” said Hall. “We’ve changed the setup of the aircraft in an effort to reduce any risk of that ever happening again.”
Hall, who now holds eighth place in the championship, is now expected to come back into competition during the next round of the Air Race, which will be held on the weekend of August 7-8 in Lausitz, Germany.
