History-making finale for the Red Bull Air Race
PERTH, Australia - American Mike Mangold (Team Cobra) is the 2007 Red Bull Air Race World Series champion, winning a thriller in Perth on Sunday 4 November against his arch rival Paul Bonhomme (GBR/Matador) only after the dust settled at the very end of the 10th and final stop of the international motor sport championship before a frenzied crowd of 200,000 spectators.
The 52-year-old Californian pulled off a spectacular triumph after an improbable comeback, erasing a two-point deficit by taking third place in Perth. Championship leader Bonhomme had to settle for fifth place -- his worst result in 2007 and the first time the normally consistent Brit failed to get on the podium -- and ended up the 2007 runner-up even though he and Mangold both finished with the same number of points – 47. Bonhomme had to concede defeat only after six excruciating levels of tie-breakers were exhausted -- a fitting metaphor for an incredibly close 2007 campaign.
Ivanoff triumphs in Perth
Nicolas Ivanoff (FRA/Team M.R.T.) took advantage of the opening at the top that Bonhomme and Mangold provided in Perth when they both appeared to show some nerves, grabbing his first race victory of the season. By beating American Michael Goulian in the final under the bright blue skies of the pulsating Western Australian city, Ivanoff also became the fifth different winner in this most competitive Red Bull Air Race season ever. Ivanoff, who had a disappointing season until Sunday, surprised the field with the best time of the day in the final -- 1:15.15 minutes.
Yet the focus in Perth was on the 2007 championship that went down to the wire. Mangold, the 2005 champion, had to square off against Bonhomme in the quarter-finals and he knew his long-shot hopes for the championship hinged on beating Bonhomme. The Brit went first and put in a good time but Mangold was even faster. Bonhomme’s consolation was that he had the quickest time of any of the quarter-final losers and thus secured fifth place, leaving him with reasonable hopes of staying in front of Mangold.
The pressure was on Mangold
Mangold knew he would have to get on the podium. Yet he was soundly defeated in the semi-final by Ivanoff after a surprisingly shaky run as temperatures climbed to 30 degrees but then managed to win the consolation final for third place against Alejandro Maclean – to raise his season total to 47 points and equalize Bonhomme’s total. They both also had the same number of firsts, seconds, thirds, fourths and fifths as well as the same number of firsts in elimination rounds. It wasn’t until the next tie-breaker in the rule book -- the number of “seconds” in elimination rounds -- that Mangold (2) edged Bonhomme (1).
Peter Besenyei (HUN/Team Red Bull) took third place in the 2007 championship after finishing second in both 2005 and 2006. Bonhomme and his Matador teammate Steve Jones were nevertheless able to celebrate winning the team championship (64 points) ahead of Team Red Bull with Besenyei and American Kirby Chambliss (59) while Team Cobra with Mangold and Hannes Arch of Austria was third with 50.
“I’m incredibly happy,” said Mangold. “The title landed in my lap in the last minute. I really wasn’t expecting it. It was a long and extremely difficult year. We had some problems during the course of the season, but the team didn’t stick its head in the sand. We worked hard on becoming successful again.” Bonhomme, who received thunderous applause from the big crowd, was able to keep a stiff upper lip. “It was a constant battle with Mike all season and at the end of the day he was the luckier pilot. It could hardly be any closer than that. It’s incredible. But it’s now time to do some serious celebration.”
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