Bonhomme takes Red Bull Porto

September 14, 2009 -- Porto, Portugal – Britain’s Paul Bonhomme won the Red Bull Air Race Sunday in front of a record-breaking crowd of 720,000 in Porto, widening his lead in the overall World Series championship. With the win, Bonhomme is now up four points over defending champion Hannes Arch of Austria. Australian rookie Matt Hall took third place, the first podium of his career, and jumped from fifth to third in the overall championship. Bonhomme stopped the clock in 1:09.23 on his final run through the 6.6-km course set up through 17 Air Gates to beat Arch by 0.94 seconds and Hall by 2.00 seconds. It was the second 2009 win for Bonhomme, who now has 55 championship points compared to 51 for Arch. Hall has 33 points and has overtaken both Nicolas Ivanoff of France Mike Mangold of the United States. “Thank you Porto,” said a delighted Bonhomme upon hearing over the radio that he had won. “It’s a beautiful city and we love it here,” he added. The British ace also became the first pilot to win more than one race this year but quickly warned the championship was far from over – he saw it slip out of his hands in the final race of 2007 and 2008. “I’ve been in this situation before. Four points is not a lot when there are 13 points available to the winner. It will be ‘all-guns-blazing’ for Barcelona.” Arch had been leading this year’s championship until the fourth round in Budapest, when the Austrian failed to get on the podium for the first time in over a year with a disappointing fourth place. Arch came to Porto looking to grab the lead back from Bonhomme. He stumbled in Qualifying on Saturday, finishing ninth after hitting a pylon. But Arch bounced back on Sunday, advancing to a showdown against Bonhomme, Hall and Hungary’s Peter Besenyei. “After qualifying yesterday I nearly gave up and said ‘OK, I have to fly cautious’,” said Arch. “But that doesn’t fit my style. I have to try to be the fastest. I’ll go to the final race in Barcelona with the same mindset: attacking and giving Paul a hard time. I think Paul is already feeling the pressure he’ll be under. The Barcelona track is better suited to my plane.” Porto was a disappointing race for Americans Kirby Chambliss and Michael Goulian. Chambliss was forced to retire with engine problems despite posting the fastest time of the day in the Top 12 placing him eighth. Goulian, who won the first race of his career in Budapest, fell to ninth place. Mangold, the 2007 champion having a remarkably consistent year, salvaged some U.S. pride by taking fifth place, which leaves him fourth overall. The 2009 Red Bull Air Race World Champion will be decided at the season finale in Barcelona, Spain on October 3-4.

Britain’s Paul Bonhomme took first place in the Red Bull Air Race in Porto, widening his lead to four points in the overall world championship. Photo credit: Red Bull Air Race Paul Bonhomme flies through pylons during the Porto race. Photo credit: Red Bull Air Race Matt Hall celebrates his first time on the winner’s podium. Hall took third place in the Red Bull Porto race. Photo credit: Red Bull Air Race From left, Matt Hall, Hannes Arch and Paul Bonhomme celebrate their victories in the Red Bull Air Race. Photo credit: Red Bull Air Race

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