And this is it! It's the eighth and final round of the 2016 Red Bull Air Race World Championship and wow, what a season...
We've had highs and lows... an epic year and an emotional one for the teams and the fans
At the last race in Indianapolis – the motor racing capital of the world – we saw Germany's Matthias Dolderer take his first ever World Championship title
It was the result of a standout year for the pilot, who made his debut in 2009
2016 has seen a new duel come to life with Australia's Matt Hall continue his quest for the title, but with Dolderer as his new adversary after the retirement of three-time World Champion Paul Bonhomme at the end of 2015
When Matthias Dolderer passed through the Finish Gate in Indianapolis
he went down in the history books for at least three reasons. First, he became the first winner of a Red Bull Air Race at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway plus he became the first German pilot to win the World Championship and he was the first pilot to win the title before the final race of the season.
When Matthias Dolderer passed through the Finish Gate in Indianapolis he went down in the history books for at least three reasons. First, he became the first winner of a Red Bull Air Race at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway plus he became the first German pilot to win the World Championship and he was the first pilot to win the title before the final race of the season.
With the top step taken, it was Australian Matt Hall's turn to be in the spotlight as he earned enough points with 4th place in the Indianapolis round to secure second place on the World Championship podium for the second year running...
He scooped enough points to secure the second place, leaving the final step on the podium wide open for several pilots to fight for here at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway...
As we came into race week there were a few upsets...
With Hall out of contention, it left the Las Vegas final podium of the year wide open... with half the field within striking distance of the third step
Nigel Lamb
Current standing: 4th
Minimum points needed: 3.25
Nicolas Ivanoff
Current standing: 5th
Minimum points needed: 6
Yoshihide Muroya
Current Standing: 6th
Minimum points needed: 9.5
Pete McLeod
Current standing: 7th
Minimum points needed: 10.5
Kirby Chambliss
Current standing: 8th
Minimum points needed: 10.75
The second big upset this week was the retrospective disqualification of Martin Sonka for over RPM back at the Ascot race... he was stripped of the points he earned there and this put him out of contention for the 3rd place on the WC podium
Plenty of drama to kick off race week!
The pilots also had the amazing opportunity to see some of the USA's most spectacular scenery earlier in the week, so it wasn't all bad ;)
We started the flying sessions on Friday with Free Practice here in Las Vegas...
Dolderer started off on a high!
Track conditions yesterday on Saturday were just too challenging, with winds gusting over the 30kts limit that the Race Committee has set for safe operations
While disappointing, the decision was taken and the pilots were in agreement that it was pretty bumpy out there
As we moved into this morning, the threat of more of the same lingered...
The planned Challenger Cup race, due to start late morning, was cancelled earlier – and the 2016 final rankings agreed based on the top three results for each of the pilots
Germany's Florian Berger made it a double celebration for his home nation, adding to Dolderer's Master Class title!
The current status is that the conditions in the track are still above the safe limit – peaking at 38kts at the Start Gate
We're on hold for the moment, for another 25 minutes, when the conditions are expected to ease
Our Airgators have got their work cut out here today!
Mike Goulian at the Race Airport: "We have a plan in our mind already to fly and this is when experience helps. You have to relax, settle down and you have to go in simmer mode."
And this is it! It's the eighth and final round of the 2016 Red Bull Air Race World Championship and wow, what a season...
I'm waiting at harrahs to see if you are flying today. Nellis afb is calling for winds of 23 knots gusting to 32 knots. Go or no go?
Hello everyone. Greetings from Poland! As I see, looks like the Mother Nature is going to be the winner of today's race in Vegas...
