1.5 million spectators crowded the banks of the Golden Horn estuary in Istanbul, Turkey to watch American pilot, Kirby Chambliss win the Red Bull Air Race for the third time this season.
Chambliss’ dramatic victory further cements his status as the Series favorite, although Bonhomme, flying in a new Edge 540, has made a dramatic move to the top of the Air Race’s leading flyers, joining the likes of American Mike Mangold, the reigning World Series champion, and Hungarian Peter Besenyei.
Flying at speeds of more than 400kph, the world’s best pilots were racing against the clock in a bid to win points in the fifth leg of the international series. Chambliss currently has the overall lead with a total of 22 points in the World Series standings, followed closely by Besenyei and then Mangold. The results were the narrowest in the history of the Red Bull Air Race, with Bonhomme just 0.48 seconds behind Chambliss. Mangold missed out on a top spot after hitting an Air Gate and incurring a 10 second penalty.
Chambliss was thrilled with his win, exclaiming “I am a very lucky man today!” adding, “You have to be consistent. I go out there and always fly aggressively. To me second place is nothing but the first loser.”
Crowds watched in awe as the pilots raced through the high speed course, negotiating a series of ‘air gates’ just meters above the water. Taking place for the first time in Istanbul, chicanes were a brand new feature of the race track, with pilots having to weave through the single pylons as well as fly between the parallel gates.
The next race takes place on the River Danube in Budapest, Hungary on 20th August.
*Michael Goulian did not take part in the Istanbul Air Race
Red Bull Air Race World Series 2006
Results – Race 5, Istanbul 29.7.06
1 Kirby Chambliss USA 02:56.86
2 Paul Bonhomme GBR 02:57.34
3 Peter Besenyei HUN 02:58.88
4 Mike Mangold USA 03:06.98
5 Nicolas Ivanoff FRA 03:07.63
6 Nigel Lamb GBR 03:08.43
7 Alejandro Maclean ESP 03:16.98
8 Steve Jones GBR 03:18.13
9 Klaus Schrodt GER 03:20.18
10 Frank Versteegh NED 03:28.38
World Series 2006 Overall Standing
1 Kirby Chambliss USA 22 points
2 Peter Besenyei HUN 19
3 Mike Mangold USA 17
4 Klaus Schrodt GER 6
4 Paul Bonhomme GBR 6
4 Nicolas Ivanoff FRA 6
7 Alejandro Maclean ESP 3
7 Michael Goulian USA 3
9 Nigel Lamb GBR 2
10 Steve Jones GBR 0
10 Frank Versteegh NED 0
Race Calendar 2006
Abu Dhabi, UAE 18th March
Barcelona, Spain 6th May
Berlin, Germany 27th May
St Petersburg, Russia 17th June
Istanbul, Turkey 29th July
Budapest, Hungary 20th August
Longleat, UK 2nd September
San Francisco, USA 7th October
Perth, Australia 19th November
