Red Bull Air Race 2017: Final tour stops announced

The two final dates in the Red Bull Air Race 2017 calendar have been announced. Porto in Portugal and the Lausitzring in Germany will be the sixth and seventh stops on the eight-stop international tour.

On 2-3 September, the race planes will take off at the classic Air Racing destination of Porto, Portugal for the first time since 2009. Then, just two weeks later on 16-17 September, it's a return to the motorsport hub of Germany's Lausitzring.

Set against the backdrop of Porto's ancient architecture, the city's Red Bull Air Race debut in 2007 drew thousands of spectators to the sun-drenched beaches. The 2017 stop will mark the final racetrack over water this season, and the trajectory over the River Douro is likely to be twisting and tricky.

Following Porto, tension will be high as the teams arrive in Lausitzring. For the second season in a row, the showdown at the oval will be the last in European skies before the World Championship accelerates to its climax in the USA.

In 2016, the Australian Hall edged out Germany's own Matthias Dolderer for the race. While the German went on to secure the World Championship, he's now more keen than ever to claim a home triumph as he strives to defend his title.

The stop at the speedway that hosts the DTM (German Touring Car Championship) and Superbike World Championship is also a homecoming for reigning Challenger Cup winner Florian Bergér, who won there last year.

Red Bull Air Race Calendar 2017
10-11 February Abu Dhabi, UAE
15-16 April San Diego, USA
3-4 June Chiba, Japan
1-2 July Budapest, Hungary
22-23 July Kazan, Russia
2-3 September Porto, Portugal
16-17 September Lausitzring, Germany
14-15 October Indianapolis, USA

www.redbullairrace.com 

Photo: The Red Bull Air Race in Porto. Photographer: Daniel Grund/Red Bull Content Pool