More than 35,000 spectators lined the banks of the River Thames to watch round six of
Upside down and 150mph. Can we have a go?
the Red Bull Air Race at Canary Warf, last weekend.With SEAT cars now confirmed as the official race sponsor, the pistonheads crew thought it right that we attend in our long-term Leon Cupra.
The Red Bull air race series is now in its fourth year, but this is the first time London has hosted the event. Spectators were treated to a new discipline of flying called ‘air racing’, which resembles a slalom course in the sky. Eleven Red Bull competitors had to pilot their planes around several pylons known as ‘Air Gates’ in the fastest time possible. Nothing happens if
Are you sure we can't have a go? Please...
a pilot crashes into a pylon – apart from getting hit with a ten second penalty. A three-second time penalty can also be incurred for flying too high.
Saturday’s qualifying times were slower than predicted. According to pilot Alejandro Maclean, the turbulent gales were exacerbated by Canary Warf’s office tower blocks channelling the wind. Calmer skies and better conditions on Sunday allowed much quicker times, where the planes reached speeds of nearly 400 km/h (250 mph) and pilots pulled up to 10G. American Mike Mangold (USA/Team Cobra) soared to victory with a time of 1:25.82 minutes, and Britain’s Paul Bonhomme finished second. Bonhomme still leads the championship.
It was an enjoyable, if blurry two days for the pistonheads team; the highlights of which can be seen in our gallery. We’re sure everyone who attended is rooting for organizers to bring the Air Race back to London in 2008.
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