Windsor Qualifying wide open as track conditions expected to worsen

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Windsor Qualifying wide open as track conditions expected to worsen

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Windsor Qualifying wide open as track conditions expected to worsen

by Kirsten Corrigan, Jun 5, 2010

WINDSOR, Ontario – There could be some surprise results in today’s Qualifying as at least half of the pilots continue to battle against the volatile track conditions along the Detroit River in Canada. The Qualifying for Saturday’s Red Bull Air Race in Windsor is expected to start 20 minutes ahead of schedule at 1340 local time. The decision to start the first of two Qualifying sessions today 20 minutes ahead of schedule is due to adverse weather conditions forecast for later in the afternoon.

Table leader and defending champion Paul Bonhomme may have topped the time sheets in both training days but it’s those who finished up in the middle of the table that could fight their way on to the podium as the changing winds caught out plenty of pilots in training. Several of the more experienced race pilots struggled with their set-up into the double knife-edge, making it almost impossible to fly cleanly into the chicane.

Surprisingly Sergey Rakhmanin from Russia was 6^th overall, one place ahead of former world champion Hannes Arch, while Matthias Dolderer secured a comfortable 5^th in the afternoon’s session.

American Michael Goulian was one of a handful of pilots who received a DQ in training. “I wasn’t feeling comfortable in the track,” said Goulian, flying in the Team Petrobras colours in Windsor. “Today’s plan is a fun and carefree approach. I’ll just go for it and try to get my mojo on!”

Rookie Martin Sonka flew extremely well in both rounds yesterday and although his Edge 540 is unlikely to go much faster in the track, the Czech pilot was planning to tighten up his line through the 270 turn to gain a full second. “I’ll be happy if I can fly like that again today,” said Sonka, who has yet to pick up a championship point.

The Windsor race could also be an opportunity for American pilot Kirby Chambliss to step up to the podium replicating his success here last year, where he was both fastest in Qualifying and third overall on Race day. Chambliss was 3rd in the morning session and 4^th later in the day despite running with his old engine.

Spanish pilot Alejandro Maclean was literally blown out of the track in training, resulting in a DQ for course deviation, while France’s Nicolas Ivanoff completely missed the chicane and was given the same call from the stewards.

Local hero Pete McLeod also came unstuck, picking up six seconds in penalties and finishing further down the table than anticipated, in 9^th place. “There are a lot of factors at play for me here and not just the track,” said the Canadian. “I just need to manage all these factors.”