AMERICAN pilot Kirby Chambliss won the 2006 Red Bull Air Race World Series on 7 November after opting for a 'safe' third place in the final event of the season in Perth, Australia.

The race was won by Hungarian Peter Besenyei with Britain's Paul Bonhomme in second. Chambliss only need to finish in the top six to clinch the championship.

Second in the title chase for the third year running, Besenyei admitted there was little chance of beating Chambliss.

"The chance for the title was very slim and that's why I didn't think about it," said Besenyei. "Victory in the season finale means a great deal to me."

Chambliss said, "Winning the Red Bull Air Race World Series has become my crowning achievement. There's just no other series like it in aviation sport."
The 2007 Red Bull Series starts on 30 March in Abu Dhabi.
W: www.redbullairrace.com

RESULTS
Round 8, Perth, Australia
1 Peter Besenyei (HUN)
2 Paul Bonhomme (GBR)
3 Kirby Chambliss (USA)
4 Mike Mangold (USA)
5 Steve Jones (GBR)
6 Michael Goulian (USA)
7 Alejandro Maclean (ESP)
8 Nigel Lamb (GBR)
9 Nicolas Ivanoff (FRA)
10 Klaus Schrodt (GER)
11 Frank Versteegh (NED)

World Series standings
1 Chambliss 38 points
2 Besenyei 35
3 Mangold 30
4 Bonhomme 26
5 Goulian 11
6 Jones 8
7 Schrodt 7
7 Ivanoff 7
9 Maclean 3
9 Lamb 3
11 Versteegh 0