Correspondent's Thoughts: Too Many Thoughts Ahead of Porto

Columnist Written on September 07, 2009

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - AUGUST 19: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) In this handout image provided by Red Bull Air Race, American Pilot Kirby Chambliss flies through an Air Gate during the qualifying session of the fourth round of the 2009 Red Bull Air Race World Championship on August 19, 2009 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Tom Lovelock/Red Bull Air Race via Getty Images).

(Photo by Tom Lovelock/Red Bull Air Race via Getty Images).

Porto is another one of those beautiful and scenic races in the Red Bull Air Race World Series. The course gives more of a drag race feeling than any sort of technical track that was experienced earlier this year like Abu Dhabi, San Diego, Windsor, or Budapest.

For this edition of Correspondent's Thoughts, I have too many thoughts ahead of the upcoming race in Porto but I have taken the three most important.

Arch vs. Bonhomme at the site of where the lead changed in 2008

The first train of thought about the upcoming race concerns the championship. We have a straight fight coming up between Paul Bonhomme and Hannes Arch with the margin being only a single solitary point.

The Briton has been the most consistent pilot this season with three second places and a first while the Austrian has never been in the same position twice even though he was able to win the first two qualifying sessions of the season and a point in each.

Now, why is this being brought up? It is quite simple: everything changed in Porto in 2008. If we rewind by 12 months, Bonhomme was the man to beat while Arch was quickly learning the ropes of the sport in only his sophomore year.

In Porto, Bonhomme went over-G during qualifying, was disqualified from the Super Eight round and had to compete in the One Point round. He made an error, took a penalty and walked away pointless for the first time that season.

To rub salt into those wounds, he was previously tied in terms of points with Arch, but was ahead based on the virtue that he had won three races while Arch only had one and now that he wasn't in contention, he could not compete in the Final Four and the Austrian took the win.

Bonhomme needed a miracle to win the championship. He would have to hope that Arch could not qualify in the Top Eight in the next and final round in Australia. We all know what happened afterwards...

So, can the Brit shake off the demons of the past here in Portugal and show Arch how it is done, or will Arch give Bonhomme a run for his money? Will fortune go the other way for Arch here?

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written on September 07, 2009 Opinion