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Red Bull Air Race 2010: Hannes Arch Wins In Perth

Hannes Arch recovers from his devastating disqualification in Abu Dhabi and is declared the winner of the 2010 Red Bull Air Race in Perth. Paul Bonhomme falls to third place and is not pleased.

Hannes Arch of Austria won the 2010 Red Bull Air Race on Sunday in Perth, Australia with over 140,000 spectators.  Matt Hall of Australia brought his career to the next level by claiming second place in the race.

While Paul Bonhomme of Great Britain ended the race in third place, he is still the championship leader of the 2010 season with 22 points.  Nigel Lamb of Britain was fourth in the race and holds second place in the championship with 18 points. Now with 14 points overall, Hannes Arch takes the leap into third place.

The excitement began when Hall shocked the crowds by posting a stellar time of 1:26.51 in the Final 4. Nigel Lamb had been flying well all week but Hall's time was out of reach.

Hannes Arch, who started third, moved into the lead with a time of 1:26.03. Bonhomme was performing well all week, but faltered in the fourth and final sector to ultimately land in third place with a time of 1:26.82.

Another career-best in Perth was acheived by Pete McLeod, who took fifth place.

Hannes Arch's triumph in Perth, Australia helped him forget his disqualification in Abu Dhabi last month which knocked him into 11th place. The 12 points Arch collected for the win in Perth, after a mere 2 in Abu Dhabi, give him a chance at the 2010 Red Bull Air Race Title.

The Austrian pilot was nothing but teeth from ear to ear when the times were read out.

“This is definitely the way we're going forward,” said Hannes Arch. “Everything starts with vision and this was my vision. I was really struggling during the week. Should I attack or should I just slow down? I'm very pleased.”

“Fantastic result,” said an overjoyed Matt Hall. “I've been aiming for that for over a year. The Perth race was always going to be my focus. This is what I’ve been looking forward to since I started in the Red Bull Air Race – a great performance in front of my home crowd in Australia.”

Paul Bonhomme was unable to hide his dissapointment.

“Third place wasn't planned but we didn't get fourth so that's good,” said Bonhomme. “I've not really looked at the times so I don't know what I did wrong. But it sounds like I relaxed a bit in the track.”

The 2010 Red Bull Air Race World Championships will continue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 8/9 May.

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