After an exciting start of the 2007 Red Bull Air Race World Series which saw Hungarian Peter Besenyei win the first race in Abu Dhabi in front of 250,000 spectators, the race heads to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and lands at Botafogo’s Cove on the 20 and 21 April.
This will be the first time an Air Race has taken place on South American soil and it promises to be a spectacular event with the pilots flying against the stunning backdrop of Rio’s famous skyline. The race will take place at Enseada de Botafogo (Botafogo's Cove) in the Baia de Guanabara (Guanabara Bay).
Spectators will be able to view the action from the shore watching the world’s best pilots fly at speeds reaching close to 400 kph, coping with forces of up to 10G whilst navigating a complex race course in the sky.
The competition is already heating up in more ways than one. In Abu Dhabi, the pilots had to contend with scorching desert heat and it was Besenyei who clinched the race followed closely by American Mike Mangold, who, despite a minor neck injury, displayed the skills which enabled him to become 2005 World Series Champion. Britain’s Paul Bonhomme came third and American Kirby Chambliss finished fourth, a disappointing result for the reigning World Champion.
After their experience in Abu Dhabi, the pilots will be prepared for the rising temperatures in Rio and will be racing all out to gain valuable ranking points in the second race of the season. They will fly two laps of the challenging aerial race track, approaching it from Sugar Loaf Mountain as they compete in the new format knock-out system.
