Yoshihide Muroya of Japan was consistent across two Qualifying runs and has secured pole position for this weekend’s Red Bull Air Race stop in Wiener Neustadt, Austria.
Germany’s Matthias Dolderer celebrated his birthday by taking second place on the timesheet, with Martin Šonka of the Czech Republic finishing third in the session that determined the head-to-head matchups for Sunday’s race.
A sold-out crowd in Cannes witnessed the most heart-stopping Qualifying session in the history of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship on Saturday, as pilot after pilot jumped to the top of the standings. Finally, as the last to fly, Michael Goulian of the USA seized his first-ever pole.
Another American, Kirby Chambliss, clocked the day’s fastest single lap in finishing second, with Australia’s Matt Hall in third. Sunday’s first-ever Red Bull Air Race in France will be one for the ages.
History’s first Red Bull Air Race stop in France took off over the film capital of Cannes on Friday, and Challenger Class pilot Daniel Ryfa of Sweden was ready for his close-up, delivering the fastest run in each of two Free Practice sessions. But local darling Mélanie Astles was right behind, looking for her own starring role when Qualifying and Race Day captivate the Croisette this weekend.
It is one thing to win the Red Bull Air Race World Championship, and quite another to defend the crown. Three former titleholders – and the reigning World Champion – share what it is like to be the pilot everyone wants to beat.
