LAUSITZ, Germany – The race track over the EuroSpeedway in Germany will be one of the most interesting in the history of the Red Bull Air Race and the first time since 2007 that the Air Gates will be set up on land rather than on water. The track in front of the grandstand promises to be one of the most challenging this year with a lot of tight turns and unknown wind conditions.

To see the EuroSpeedway Lausitz race track, click here.

As a new location and new track, all the pilots will be using every second of the training sessions to search for the best lines through a series of turns totaling 540 degrees they will face in one quick segment shortly after the start. The pilots will also be trying to quickly learn how the winds affect the track conditions, especially with the grandstand possibly shielding portions of the track from winds coming from certain directions. Mastering that high-G,  turn-filled section shortly after the start could turn out to be the key to winning the race, according to former pilot and TV analyst Steve Jones.

“As you run through the start gate, the chicane is straight ahead,” Jones said. “There is no big turn to reduce your speed, so at 374 kph it is going to happy mighty fast. If the exit from the chicane is accurate, it will set you up for 540 degrees of aggressive turning that will happen in the next 20 seconds or so. But get this bit wrong and you will never catch up with the lines and angles you require, seconds could be lost as a result. Many different lines are available in these seemingly endless turns and any wind will change your options.”

After a slight breather at Gate 6, Jones said the pilots will again face high-G forces in a vertical turn at Gate 7. The series of high-G turns in the track will also slow the planes in the first lap, meaning they will have to fly the 540-degree turn section more tightly on Lap 2 in order to get good times, according to Jones.

Pilots are looking forward to the challenges of the new track, which is in eastern Germany between Berlin and Dresden and not far from the border to Poland and the Czech Republic. Many have said they like flying over land tracks – such as in Berlin (2006), Monument Valley (2007) and Interlaken (2007) – because there are so many places to land in a pinch if needed.

“I think it’s the future,” Bonhomme said when asked how he felt about flying over a motorsport race track for the first time. Bonhomme and Hungary’s Peter Besenyei will be flying in their 50th race in Germany.  “Let’s have a couple of iconic locations and the rest of the races over racetracks or airfields.”

For an animated view from the grandstand, watch the video below.

If you want to see how you would look under the sort of G-forces Matt and the rest of the Red Bull Air Race pilots face during a race, click on this cool Facebook link.

Want to learn more about Matt and what makes him tick?

This video, courtesy of the Red Bull Air Race, talks about where Matt is from, his earliest memories of flight, his family and what he does when he flies cross country.

He also talks about being the best he can be in all facets of life and the inner motivation that drives him in his quest for air race success.

So sit back and enjoy the story of Matt Hall, the humble pilot from Merewether in New South Wales.

In Matt’s most revealing interview ever with Steve and Grant from leading aviation podcast Plane Crazy Down Under he talks about his mishap in Windsor, his subsequent sanction, aircraft and team development, the disappointments that 2010 have brought so far and what’s on the cards next.

To see and hear more from Plane Crazy Down Under, click here.

The Red Bull Air Race in Budapest has been cancelled this year due to lengthy delays in the permissions process the organization announced with regret today.

Interrupting a six-year tradition of racing in the Hungarian capital, the Red Bull Air Race World Champion will now be crowned after the final race of the 2010 season at EuroSpeedway in Lausitz, Germany on 7 ^th & 8 ^th August.

Budapest has been an annual fixture on the Red Bull Air Race World Championship calendar since 2004 with enormous crowds of more than 600,000 spectators watching the racing from the banks of the Danube River. This year’s race, which would have been the seventh annual race in Budapest, was set for 19 ^th & 20 ^th August.

Red Bull Air Race GmbH CEO Bernd Loidl expressed his disappointment over the Budapest cancellation, which comes just a week after a race cancellation in Portugal due to unexpected delays in reaching a revised host city agreement.   But he said he hoped Budapest would be back on the calendar in 2011. Loidl also said the 2011 calendar – which will include a return to New York after the historic first race there in June; will be announced after the final round in Germany next month.

“Having safely and successfully executed the Red Bull Air Race World Championship in Budapest for the past six years, it was a tough decision to make,” Loidl said.

“Following so close to the cancellation of the Portugal race last week, we are obviously disappointed and every effort will be made to see a return to Budapest in 2011. Securing the future of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship is paramount and making tough decisions is part of that process. We look forward to announcing the 2011 calendar after the final round in Germany including a much anticipated return to New York in the United States.”

The battle for the 2010 Red Bull Air Race World Championship will remain intense at Lausitzring in Germany, where defending champion Paul Bonhomme is holding a five-point lead over 2008 champion Hannes Arch of Austria. Arch has won three of the last five races and is confident he can overtake Bonhomme down the home stretch of the 2010 season to take his second title.

The race in Germany will be the 50 ^th Red Bull Air Race since the sport was created in 2003.  It has been a FAI-recognised world championship since 2005.

That dreaded noise indicating a pylon hit or a penalty is one that every air race fan knows.

So who makes the decision to award a penalty?

Or who calls a pilot out of the track if he thinks safetey is being compromised?

The race directors and head stewards, that’s who!

To find out more about what they do, watch this video courtesy of Red Bull Air Race.

The Red Bull Air Race GmbH today announced that the final round of the 2010 World Championship, which was to be held in Portugal on 4th and 5th September, will be cancelled due to the unexpected delays in reaching a revised host city agreement. The negotiation process with Tourism Portugal and the associated cities of Lisbon, Porto and Gaia was positive, however time ran out to execute a race of this size, complexity and of the quality expected of the strong fan base in Portugal.

The 2010 race was originally announced on 21st December 2009 to take place in Portugal’s capital city, Lisbon. Earlier this year the City of Lisbon, in an effort to secure a longer term agreement for Portugal, approached the Cities of Porto and Gaia to develop a joint proposal which would have seen the race alternate between the north and south of Portugal over the next four years.

“The Red Bull Air Race is committed to keeping Portugal on the race calendar, however, due to the delays in finalising the agreement, we were faced with making a tough decision to cancel the race for 2010 due to the time available to plan and execute a quality event.” said Mr Bernd Loidl, CEO Red Bull Air Race GmbH.

“Making such a decision is not easy and I would like to take this opportunity to thank our valued sponsors, broadcast partners and fans around the world for their support and understanding. I would also like to thank the Cities of Lisbon, Porto and Gaia, along with Tourism of Portugal and Tourism of Lisbon, as every effort was made from all sides to reach a revised agreement; however, time simply ran out. We hope to continue discussions to see the race return to Portugal again in the near future,” Loidl said.

Just five years since it was officially launched, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship has evolved to become the most exhilarating and fastest growing motor sport on the planet and has touched down in spectacular locations around the world from the beaches of Rio de Janeiro to the West Coast of Australia, and most recently its debut in New York on the Hudson River.

The Red Bull Air Race World Championship is a visual spectacle unlike any other, delivering raw sporting drama set amidst vibrant landscapes. The sport has quickly built a staggering following around the world with millions captivated by the exciting and dynamic racing format.

Temora Aviation Museum is excited to announce that Red Bull Air Race competitor and former RAAF Top Gun fighter pilot Matt Hall will be the Master of Ceremonies for the Inland NSW Tourism Awards held at the Museum on July 24^th.

The Awards function will be a gala event taking place in the Museum’s Display Hangar surrounded by the Museum’s collection of historic aircraft.

Chief Executive Kenny Love said “we knew that hosting the Awards at the Museum would be an amazing experience but to have a top gun, combat decorated fighter pilot who is currently competing in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship – that just puts the icing on the cake. Matt is an incredible pilot and a great guy and he is planning to share some of his experiences with us on the night.”

Following in the footsteps of his grandfather who flew in World War II, Matt is a former Royal Australian Air Force Fighter Pilot, with over 1800 F/A-18 Hornet hours. He was an elite Fighter Combat (Top Gun) Instructor, and in 2006 completed a tour as the chief instructor for this demanding course.

He has received many awards along the way, including Dux of Pilot, Hornet and Fighter Combat Instructor courses, the 1997 Fighter Pilot of the Year and was awarded a Chief of Air Force commendation for his performance as the Chief Instructor of the 2006 FCI course.

He spent three years in the USA on a USAF exchange program, flying over 500 hours in the F-15E Strike Eagle, including combat. For his efforts, he was awarded combat decorations by both the US and Australia.

Matt resigned from the RAAF in 2009 to allow him to become a full time Race Pilot.

Hall is excited about the upcoming awards and returning to Temora.

“One of my favourite places to visit is Temora and the Aviation Museum where the people are always so welcoming and fun to be around,” Hall said.

“I am honoured to be able to be part of the Inland NSW Tourism awards at the museum, a place that I always enjoy visiting.

“I am sure this is going to be a night not to be missed. I know I can’t wait to be involved.”

Hall is bringing a two seat aerobatic aircraft, the Giles 202, to the Inland NSW Tourism Awards. The Giles is an unlimited aerobatic aircraft in which Matt has completed his competition aerobatics and Red Bull Air Race training. Two lucky guests at the Tourism Awards will win the opportunity of a lifetime to go flying with Matt as he demonstrates the three dimensional world that he lives in.

For details about the awards dinner, click here.