London Calling to The Faraway Towns...

The party goes to London this weekend with the Red Bull Air Race and in English style, with a Brit leading the championship.

Over the River Thames, a battle will take place in a championship race that's easier to lose than it is to win.

Paul Bonhomme, the 44-year old from Buckhinghamshire, will try to win his fourth race this season in front of his home crowd, and give them "God Save the Queen" on the podium.

However, this battle in front of the O2 Arena, formerly the Millenium Dome, will not be an easy one for Bonhomme to take. Tight on his heels and itching for his first win is the amazing Austrian, Hannes Arch.

Following what I believed to be a miracle run for him in the first race of the season in Abu Dhabi, Arch has surprised me in many ways. Most recently, his impressive runs in Rotterdam, almost a fortnight ago, was nothing short of brilliant. Had he been able to keep concentration on his final run he could have easily ousted Bonhomme from the top step of the podium, but alas, he will have to wait to guzzle down the victory champagne. Could this be Arch's first victory?

Also, the two pilots of the MXS aircraft, Nigel Lamb and Alejandro Maclean will be hoping to make headway and penetrate the podium with their new aircraft. Like anything that comes out of the box, it isn't perfect and they need to tweak the settings to make it compatible for them. Hopefully, a top five finish will boost their morale and add more spice to the season.

Then, there are the Americans in Mike Mangold, Kirby Chambliss and Michael Goulian. Mike Mangold is Hannes Arch's more experienced teammate and mentor, Kirby Chambliss is one of the original air race pilots and Michael Goulian is the lovable and easy-talking Bostonian. Mangold and Chambliss have had their shares of victory, but it's Goulian who is easily forgotten.

When in Detroit, Goulian told me that "anything less than a third place is not good." There is no doubt that the man in the green Edge 540 will be looking to snatch a podium place from his two compatriots.

Further down the rankings, Sergei Rakhmanin of Russia recorded his first ever point in the series, and with the delivery of a new airplane late next month, he's hoping to capitalize.

Glen Dell, the rookie this season is starting to mature and make more focused runs, but he is still a little slower than the pack. While this is nothing more than a learning year for the laid-back South African, he is learning quite quickly and could be a power for next year.

Overall, London is shaping up to be a key battleground. Should Bonhomme triumph, it's a real psychological blow to Mangold, who will have an even harder time to defend his championship from last year.

The air race will be broadcasted live on Channel 4, should anyone living in the UK be interested. Enjoy the race!

Photography Credit: Balazs Gardi, 2007.