The sixth leg of the Red Bull Air Race World Series returns to Budapest, Hungary on Sunday 20th August. Over a million spectators are expected to line the banks of the Danube to watch the world’s best pilots as they race through an obstacle course on the river and fly underneath the famous Chain Bridge.
This will be the third time the competition has taken place in the city centre of Budapest and the fourth time the Air Race is back in Hungary. One of the first ever Red Bull Air Races was staged at Tököl Airport near Budapest in 2003. Last year a record 1.3 million spectators watched the pilots racing at speeds reaching 400kph, just metres above the River Danube in their bid to become World Champion.
This year’s challenging race track, located in front of the Parliament building, will be slightly different. Pilots begin with the daunting task of flying underneath the Chain Bridge then have to negotiate chicanes made up of single pylons. They will then fly between a series of 20-metre high parallel Air Gates as they race to Margaret Bridge, completing a sequence of complex gate crossings before they return to the finish at Chain Bridge.
The race is certain to be the highlight of the national holiday weekend and local crowds will undoubtedly be cheering on Hungarian, Peter Besenyei who will be aiming for victory on home turf. A national hero in Hungary, the world-renowned pilot was the first to fly underneath the Chain Bridge, as well as the first to fly upside down underneath it, and he was instrumental in helping develop the Air Race with Red Bull back in 2003. Currently second place in the World Series rankings, behind American Kirby Chambliss, Besenyei will be giving it everything in his new Edge 540 plane.
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
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
