Matt Hall has taken his first race win in an Edge 540 with victory in Cannes yesterday.
In the very first Red Bull Air Race held in France, Hall beat good mate Matthias Dolderer by only 0.072 sec in the Final 4. Third went to championship leader Michael Goulian, whilst reigning champion Yoshi Muroya was fourth. Goulian was drafted into the Final 4 after Czech Martin Sonka was disqualified for exceeding a rev limit.
“Today was an awesome day," Hall effused after the race. "The venue is amazing, and this is just as exciting as my first win ever.
“We have known since we did our first training run on Friday that we had a good set-up on this plane and it is back to where we wanted it after a re-branding error caused it to be a little off balance at the first race of the season in Abu Dhabi in February.
“It’s been a long, hard transition–a very steep climb–from our former MXS raceplane to our new Edge, but now with a new team, this new plane and a new sponsor, it feels awesome. We’re feeling set to make a run for the World Championship.”
“I think it is going to be a great year.”
Hall qualified third behind Americans Goulian and Kirby Chambliss, before accounting for home-town hero Francois Le Vot in the Round of 14 and Canadian Pete McLeod in the Round of 8.
The Australian raced third in the Final 4 having beaten the times of both Goulian and Dolderer; the race win delivered after Muroya was hit with a penalty for incorrect level during the last run of the final.
In taking the victory, Hall paid tribute to his race technician Ron Simard, who was killed in a plane crash in Panama just before Christmas.
“It’s been a very, very challenging time emotionally," Hall said, "but I know Ron have been watching with a big smile on his dial and he’ll be impressed with how Finchy [technician David Finch] has stepped into the team. Finchy is a great guy, he is very talented. He has got the plane to race winning qualities."
The win has rocketed Hall from fifth to second in the championship with 21 points, three behind Goulian. Muroya is third on 19 points.
The third round of the 2018 Red Bull Air Race World Championship is in Chiba, Japan, 26-27 May.