Countdown to Indy Underway as Red Bull Air Race Returns to Skies of Russia

The Red Bull Air Race World Championship returns to Kazan, Russia, on Aug. 25-26 for the fifth round of the world’s most prestigious air racing series, with just two events remaining before Round 7 on Oct. 6-7 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

With a new track, new rivalries and only four races left in the season, expect fierce flying and a tough fight to the finish at Kazan.

Australian Matt Hall leads the elite Master Class by just two points over American Michael Goulian, 45-43. Martin Sonka is third, with 34 points.

With no runaway leader in the standings, the Kazan race will mark a pivotal opportunity for race teams to stamp their authority on the season before the World Championship slips away, but the challenge is massive. Last year, Kazan broke the record for most Air Pylon hits in the history of the sport – 67. With a new layout this time around, the pilots and their tacticians must start from scratch to master the technical racetrack over the Kazanka River.

Pressure will continue to mount on title contenders Hall and Goulian. Neither pilot has won the overall crown or stood so high in the standings at the halfway point of the season. Hall appears to have the momentum with wins in two of the last three races, Goulian has taken a previous podium in Kazan.

Hot on the chase is last year’s runner-up for the title, Sonka, pursued by the surprise pilot of 2018, fourth-place Mika Brageot.

It’s now-or-never time at Kazan for fifth-place Yoshihide Muroya, who clinched his first World Championship last season in dramatic fashion at IMS.

Two other past World Champions, Matthias Dolderer and American Kirby Chambliss, would climb the standings with a victory. Chambliss won last year at Kazan.

NBCSN will provide same-day delayed coverage of the Kazan race from 10 p.m.-midnight (ET) Sunday, Aug. 26.

Visit IMS.com to buy tickets or for more information about the Red Bull Air Race on Oct. 6-7 at IMS.