Red Bull Air Race 2018 - Kazan
The Red Bull Air Race returns to Russia for the second time in the motorsport's history. The pilots touch down in Kazan on 25-26 August 2018. Kazan is the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan in Russia and home to more than a million people. The city lies at the meeting point of the River Volga and Kazanka River, which is overlooked by the Kazan Kremlin – a World Heritage Site. Follow the Red Bull Air Race here!
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Spain's Juan Velarde next into the racetrack. He took 2nd and 1st places in FP1 and FP2, but struggled to find his form in FP3, finishing up in 10th place.
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Velarde into the track and he's on the nose with 200kts through the Start Gate.... Velarde looking very relaxed and he's pushing himself hard out there, with a great VTM and some graceful yet aggressive flying. Velarde goes quickly through the second half of the track but we feel he's holding something back a little... yet he climbs to the top of the timesheets and takes the lead from Ben Murphy by 0.119s
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Velarde returns to the racetrack for Run 2... it's quick from the off again as he's through at 199kts, and is looking a little more aggressive but has he got enough stamina for this second run? The splits go into the red as he just lags behind his Run 1 times... and the buzzer sounds as he picks up a penalty at Gate 4. He sets the bar sub-53 this afternoon and takes the top spot.
Velarde - 52.969 -
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Last year's race winner Kirby Chambliss up next.
Chambliss almost clocked in the fastest time in FP3, and it seems that Chambliss is comfortable and happy with the faster tracks that call for aggressive flying and quick VTMs -
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RR/Writer, is BM24 leading in the Qualifying Round of the Kazan Master Class Race?
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Chambliss into the track, quick out of the blocks with 198kts and he's racing hard out there today... the splits are in the red and he's taking some different lines, but the power seems to be a little lacking... it might be a slight correction that can make all the difference in his second run.Chambliss takes to the track for his second run and the first splits are in... 0.140s off Velarde's top time.... and Chambliss seems to have lost his way a little bit with this second run. A penalty at Gate 8 and he's picked up +2s... there's not much he can do to get this run back on track.
Chambliss - 53.862 -
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McLeod has been finishing up around the 10th/11th place mark in Free Practice... he's got pace and sometimes it's just a case of flying cleanly and precisely... McLeod chasing Velarde around the track and despite a solid VTM, he's not finding the power to push his way ahead. The splits remain red but at least it's a clean run which places him in 6th.
He'll be looking for a return to his Kazan 2017 form and has a second chance to get ahead... McLeod back through the Start Gate at 199kts and he's just 0.042s ahead of Velarde.
He's losing energy though but the racing lines are looking good... the Canadian picks it up and he's chasing all the way to the Finish Gate. McLeod hops up the timings into 3rd place with his second run.McLeod 53.747 -
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Francois Le Vot cleared into the track... prepare for that VTM roar!
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Still one plane to go until Dolderer heads into the course - Take off now!
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- Pylon Hit!
It's not a great start for Le Vot as he quickly picks up +3s for drifting into a pylon at Gate 4... he's not been able to make up any real time after that early mistake, although his core times are looking solid. - Pylon Hit!
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Great work by the Airgators there, getting the Gate ready for Le Vot's second run
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All the best to Dolderer (no. 21) from Germany - fly save & smoke on!
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We returned to more aggressive lines like we did yesterday... the feeling is good.- Juan Velarde
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Le Vot had a little time to gather himself there and he's looking collected, but maybe a little too conservatively on some of those lines. The times are reflecting a lack of power and pace in the track, and Le Vot remains in 8th out of 8 pilots to have flown so far. He'll have to wait and see where that places him tomorrow as he could be up against some really quick contenders.Le Vot - 55.074
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Germany's Matthias Dolderer cleared into the track. Dolderer missed out on points in Budapest and he'll be looking to chase maximum points in Kazan...And he's clearly meaning business out there! Dolderer through at 200kts and the splits are immediately in the green. Dolderer can pull off an aggressive but precise performance, he's got some real focus as the splits remain green... cleanly through the VTM and cleanly through the second half of the track. He's done it! Dolderer goes top.
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Yes you can, first place goes to Dolderer! All the best to the other pilots!
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Dolderer now surely thinking about Hall's track record as he races through the Start Gate at 200kts again, really flying on the edge and on a mission to squeeze every millisecond out of this super fast racetrack. Dolderer goes green in the first three splits, only 0.001s ahead in the third split... but he pushes too far and too hard in Run 2 and picks up +2 in Gate 11.
Sounds of celebration from Dolderer's cockpit and he's clearly having a ball out there.
Dolderer - 52.615 -
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Muroya places in 7th place but he needs to find some power now in this second run... a bit more pace through the Start Gate at 198kts and he's much closer to Dolderer's line and pace in this first split... it's red but just 0.021s off the pace... a little correction and Muroya is pushing harder now... the ghost plane has a substantial margin of pace and distance on Muroya but the Japanese pilot has leapfrogged up the rankings into 4th place, and that should place him in a less challenging heat in tomorrow's Round of 14.
Muroya 53.351 -
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It was fun out there... you have to feel at home in the track and don't put yourself under pressure... just go out there and enjoy yourself and do what you prepared... it's all a mental game.- Matthias Dolderer
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- Pylon Hit!
Brageot ready to go full throttle... and he's cleared into the racetrack! But it's all quickly gone wrong as he hits a pylon at Gate 4! - Pylon Hit!
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A downwind drift has caught Brageot it looks as though he's trying to make the best of this run...
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Still some steps to go to stay at the first place for Dolderer! Let's see what happens - all the best to the others!
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An otherwise immense performance from the young French pilot... he'd be in second place otherwise. But there's still another chance to move up into a top position in Run 2
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Pressure mounting on Brageot now to put in a clean and quick performance... he can't afford to stay down at the bottom of the timesheets today... he's through Gate 4 and is looking composed now. A little lacking in pace and some fighting with the drift through the gates and through the chicane... the splits might be red but Brageot has made an all-important move up the timesheets into fifth place... we can almost hear the relief in Brageot's voice as he acknowledges Jim DiMatteo in the Race Tower!!!
Brageot - 53.487 -
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Czech pilot Martin Sonka now in the racetrack... he's chasing the World Champion title but this is a make or break race for the former fighter pilot.
Sonka seems to be battling a little with the breezes out there... he's really not looking too comfortable and it doesn't seem to be working out for him as he finishes up in 10th place. The team not looking too impressed and there'll be some questions over that performance.Still another chance to make amends as he heads into the track for Run 2. -
Sonka back into the track at 199kts... definitely more pace but he's off Dolderer's pace by 0.375s... the buzzer goes and Sonka is battling an extra +2s now as he picks up a penalty at Gate 4 for incorrect level flying.
Sonka is really putting himself in a difficult position for Round of 14 tomorrow... it's not where he wants to be but ultimately today is probably going to be a learning experience ahead of Race Day.Sonka - 54.356 -
