Abu Dhabi: After nine years of relentless pursuit, Michael Goulian of United States broke his jinx by clinching the season opening Red Bull Air Race by clocking a fastest time of 53.695 seconds with precision over the track on the turquoise waters of Corniche on Saturday.
This was Goulian’s second win of his career, his first success had come in Budapest way back in 2009.
“We wanted the race to come to us today and we did that. We stuck with that game plan and it worked. So I’m over the moon,” said a jubilant Goulian adding that, his whole team worked hard to make it an awesome week.
“Whatever the result is today, we wanted to be in the final four and that was great as we are looking at the world championship. To clinch the title was the icing on the cake,” added Goulian, who was the first pilot to take to the skies in the Final 4.
Two tenth of a second behind was second-placed reigning World Champion from Japan Yoshi Muroya, who was last on the track. Czech Republic’s Martin Sonka, who won here last time round, also finished on the podium ahead of American Kirby Chambliss after his effort of 54.650 seconds.
“I’m not happy with my performance and of the plane. I think we are quite happy that we ended up third because easily we could have got out of the race earlier,” said Sonka, who had maintained a similar statement going into the final four.
Goulian had got the better of Matt Hall of Australia in the last eight shootout while Sonka’s effort couldn’t be eclipsed by Frenchman Francos Le Vot, despite having the edge at some stages of the track. With Chambliss winning the heat against Mika Brageot of France comfortably, it was two Americans in the final.
Former Red Arrows pilot Ben Murphy clocked his fastest time of 54.860 seconds to put the pressure on Muroya but the latter was in a class of his own. The Briton was quarter of a second quicker from the second lap and in the end stormed in to join the final four with a fastest time of 53.981 seconds.
Earlier, Germany’s Matthias Dolderer, who topped the qualifying with a track record, failed to progress to the round of 8 after he blew it in the penultimate Gate 14 by exceeding the G force limit. An automatic DNF after Race Director Jim Di Matteo was heard saying ‘knock it off.’ Australian Hall, who had not clocked anytime in the qualifying with a DNF and finished at the bottom, going through with a clean run of 53.948 seconds.
So it was Goulian vs Hall; Sonka vs Le Vot; Brageot vs Chambliss and Murphy vs Muroya in the last eight.
Goulian progressed after he bettered the time set by Frenchman Nicolas Ivanoff, a winner here in 2016. Sonka too, made it after pulling ahead of compatriot Petr Kopfstein by a significant margin clocking 54.461 seconds. Le Vot made it to the last eight as the fastest loser despite losing his heat with Chambliss, winner here in 2006.
It looked like it would be a huge disappointment for British pilot Murphy making his debut in the masterclass as he almost handed over the heats to his Spanish rival Jual Velarde on the platter after going over 10G for a two-second penalty. Verlarde just needed to come up with an error free run but he too went over the G limit and lost the place in the last eight on time. Muroya confirmed his place in the last eight with a fastest round of clear run after Canadian Peter McLeod lost the head-to-head with a DNF, exceeding maximum G.
Final 4 results:
1. Michael Goulian (USA) — 53.695
2. Yoshi Muroya (JPN) — 53.985
3. Martin Sonka (CZE) — 54.650
4. Kirby Chambliss (USA) — 54.768
Red Bull Air Race World Championship standings
1. Michael Goulian (USA) — 15 points
2. Yoshihide murya (JPN) — 12 points
3. Martin Sonka (CZE) — 9 points
4. Kirby Chambliss (USA) — 7 points
5. Matt Hall (AUS) — 6 points
6. Ben Murphy (GBR) — 5 points
7. Francos Le Vot (FRA) — 4 points
8. Mika Brageot (FRA) — 3 points
9. Petr Kopfstein (CZE) — 2 points
10. Nicolas Ivanoff (FRA) — 1 points
