Red Bull Air Race - Abu Dhabi 2016
Returning for the ninth year as the season opening round in 2016, Abu Dhabi takes its Red Bull Air Race hosting to new heights. The competition this year is the hottest in history with a fresh crop of new talent and seasoned racers hungry for the win! Qualifying on Friday 11 and Race Day Saturday 12 March! Be with us for the season start!
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Coming up today:
14:00 Masters Free Practice 3
15:20 Qualifying Challengers
16:00 Qualifying Masters
All times are local -
The correct lines are essential | Red Bull Air Race
Red Bull Air RaceSteve Jones gives his opinion of the Abu Dhabi racetrack -
It's a brilliant track, but there are three places
- Race Director Steve Jones
where pilots are really going to have to be careful or they will lose
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Current conditions:
Temperature: 22.9C
Air Pressure: 1011.5mbar
Wind Speed/Direction: 7kts/W -
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Ahead of Free Practice 3, here are the fastest pilots in each flying session so far:
Training 1: Dolderer (GER) - 56.440
Free Practice 1: Lamb (GBR) - 56.416
Free Practice 2: Arch (AUT) - 57.624 -
Hi guys and girls. Just want to wish everyone a happy & safe start to #airrace 2016. -
The aviation team in the #airrace has a new dynamic duo...
win.gs/1QQXmo5 http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CdQg5t4WoAADGTj.jpgby Red Bull Air Race via twitter 3/11/2016 9:45:05 AM -
Gee you guys have had some weather issues,over the last few days huh? Sand storms & torrential rain.
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The temperature is rising, the pressure is building under blue skies #inabudhabi ☀️✈️ #airrace Master Class Qualifying at 16:00 local time 🙌 @nigellamb Photo 📷 @predragvuckovic #aviation #avgeek #fridayfeeling #adrenaline #racing #flying #pilot #pilotlife #abudhabi #uae #fridays #fast #gofast #petrolhead #championship
by Red Bull Air Race via Instagram 3/11/2016 9:54:50 AM -
#AbuDhabi getting ready to welcome Red Bull Air Race 2016 😍😍 #airrace
by Hala Hayek via Instagram 3/11/2016 9:55:47 AM -
One two three and Chase... #Redbull #airrace #InAbudhabi #breitling
by Derick Livera via Instagram 3/11/2016 10:01:31 AM -
Masters Free Practice 3 is on! Here's the order of flying:
1. Le Vot (FRA)
2. Velarde (ESP)
3. Chambliss (USA)
4. Goulian (USA)
5 Ivanoff (FRA)
6. McLeod (CAN)
7. Lamb (GBR)
8. Muroya (JAP)
9. Dolderer (GER)
10. Sonka (CZE)
11. Arch (AUT)
12. Hall (AUS)
13. Podlunsek (SLO)
14. Kopfstein (CZE) -
Le Vot has completed his 2 runs for FP3 and Velarde is in the track right now. Le Vot slower than yesterday's session and has picked up a DQ in Run 1, but managed to lay down a time of 1:02.992 in Run 2. Off the fastest pace by a big margin... but no penalties.
Velarde over-Gs in his first run so it's an automatic DNF for the Spaniard, who came second in FP2 yesterday. He's got to keep it under wraps if he wants to record a good time for Qualifying later this afternoon. -
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Gate 6 causing Chambliss another headache in Run 1, as he picks up +2s for incorrect level flying. Without the penalty he's still flying around 59s, that's over 2s slower than the fastest pilots here so far this week. Run 2 is clean and smoother for Chambliss, and there's a review at Gate 12 where he picks up +2s again for incorrect level flying.
Chambliss 1:01.066 -
A first clean run from Goulian, he's still got some time to find in the track but it looks like he's finding his racing lines out there today. Run 2 looking good and the splits are in the green but he fails to go wings level through Gate 5 and it's +2s on the clock for the American pilot. Run 1 remains his fastest so it goes on the timesheets, putting him at the top for now:
Goulian 1:00.492 -
I
It's not Ivanoff's week... another DNF for the French pilot but he's previously laid down 58s, so could be competitive if he can avoid going over-G.
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McLeod a little less full throttle today and it's a good start but Gate 6 on the back stretch is causing him issues yet again, still not finding his perfect line. He picks up +2s and another +2s at Gate 12 on the return.
Run 2 much cleaner and he's scrubbed 1.1s off the first splits, but Gate 12 is causing problems again for the Canadian and it's another +2s on the clock. With the penalty he's 0.428 off Goulian's pace and moves into second overall.
McLeod 1:00.920 -
Lamb's FP3 session is over quickly, a DNF for over-G will be his only result in this last run before Qualifying. The British pilot will be frustrated, having lost his chance to improve on his FP1 fastest time of 56.416
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Muroya adds the 4th DNF on the timesheet - another over-G. He's posted 57s this week so he's capable of pushing for the podium... just needs to keep that score card clean.
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Germany's Dolderer looking surprisingly slow out there today... the German pilot clocked in at 56.440 in Training 1 but has just finished Run 1 with 1:00.553
Run 2 is 0.010s faster in the first split but Gate 5 on the long back stretch has caught him out and he picks up +2s for incorrect level flying. Another penalty at Gate 12 means his Run 1 time sticks and Goulian retains the top spot on today's FP3 timesheets.
Dolderer 1:00.553 -
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The pilots are pulling out all the stops in this FP3 and Sonka joins the list of pilots recording a DNF result for this final practice session before Qualifying.
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Arch looking fast if not aggressive in his first run out in Free Practice 3. He picks up +1s at the Start Gate for exceeding maximum speed limit but pushes through. He's the first pilot today to go sub-1 minute despite the penalty and takes the top spot from Goulian with 59.049
Wind conditions a little faster and more westerly than yesterday, it could be throwing the pilots off their lines slightly.
Arch looking confident in Run 2 but over-Gs again and it's a DNF result. His Run 1 time stands.
Arch 59.049 -
Hall next. He's taken the 2nd place spot in FP1 but hasn't topped the timesheets yet this week. Let's see what he's got ahead of Qualifying in this FP3...
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#FridayFlyDay. It's showtime! #AirRace #InAbuDhabi
by Red Bull UAE via Instagram 3/11/2016 10:57:00 AM -
Out of the Start Gate the splits are solidly in the green... he's gained over 1.5s in the second split but loses time as he heads back into the track on the return. The splits stay green and Hall leads the field by a clear margin as he grabs 57.822, 1.227s faster than Arch.
Run 2 and he's keeping cool, looking even faster. Consistent, confident, calm. He loses time through Gate 7, 8 and 9 but it's still sub-58, just not as fast as Run 1.
Hall 57.822 -
Buen comienzo de temporada, suerte y el mejor de los éxitos para todos los equipos. bienvenida al Air Race a la primera dama, mis saludos y respeto. -
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A familiar story, with Gate 7 and Gate 12 catching the Master Class newcomer out. That's an extra +4s but with the DNFs on the timesheets it's enough to move Kopfstein into 8th with 1:06.833
Another Run and he's 1.5s off Hall's pace in the first split, but with a penalty and a lack of pace he loses 4s on Hall's lead overall, but it's an overall faster time for the Czech pilot.
Kopfstein 1:04.956 -
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Podlunsek into the track to wrap up today's FP3 session.
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Podlunsek puts in a clean run, a solid start to today's flying for the Slovenian as he posts 1:01.285 placing him above Kopfstein and Le Vot in 7th. His Run 2 isn't so smooth as he picks up +2s at Gate 6 after the long, wide stretch around the track and it seems to put him off his lines as he picks up two more penalties for incorrect level flying.
Podlunsek 1:01.285 -
Top 3 pilots Free Practice 3:
1. Hall (AUS) 57.822
2. Arch (AUT) 59.049
3. Goulian (USA) 1:00.492 -
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And next we turn our attention to the Challenger Cup pilots for the first Qualifying session of 2016!
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Florian Berger of Germany is first into the track and he's now got decent track time under his belt. The young competitor got his first podium back in Fort Worth, USA, in 2015. What's he got for us today...
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It's a 2s penalty at Gate 3 for incorrect level! That gives Berger a 1:10.087 as the firs to run...
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Up next, another familiar face – it's Francis Barros from Brazil.
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