Matt Hall is hoping to get his 2016 Red Bull Air Race World Championship campaign back on track with a good performance in Budapest this weekend.
The 2016 season has not been so kind to Hall with a back injury and an uncharacteristic error in the season opener contributing to his eighth place in the standings after three of eight races so far this year.
Hall was clearly fastest in Budapest last year, but was eliminated by Czech Martin Sonka in what was one of the shock results of the season.The former RAAF pilot believes he can capitalise on last year's performance to challenge for a podium finish.
“Budapest was great for us last season as far as showing us what we could do as a team when we get things right,” the 44-year-old said.
“I see no reason why I can’t return to that level of consistency and performance this week. I don’t know how the other guys will go, how they will fly, but if I can get back to that standard myself I will be very happy.
“Last year we looked at every individual flight on its own merits and each race as an individual race. We didn’t give too much thought to the overall championships and took it flight by flight and it’s a strategy the whole team is very mindful of with five races to go this season.
“We can only contribute to our own performance and result, not the result of the other teams, so we won’t be drawn into worrying about where we sit in the standings or what we have to do to move up the ladder.
“The plan is simple, we just need to do the best we can each and every time I strap into the race plane, looking no further than the next gate.”
Hall currently sits in eighth place in the standings with 12 points from three races, 18 points behind series leader Germany's Matthias Dolderer.
The race can be streamed live on the Red Bull Air Race website, with qualifying starting at midnight on Saturday AEST and the Round of 14 at 10.00 pm on Sunday and the Round of 8 and Final Four starting at midnight.