Defending champion Paul Bonhomme believes the safety and rule changes means this year’s Red Bull Air Race World Championship is wide open, but kept on hold any predictions on his chances of retaining the title he has won two times until after the first “couple of races”.

The 49-year-old Briton won in Abu Dhabi in 2010, the last time the Air Race was held before the championship was discontinued for rule and safety changes.

Since then, several changes have been applied – including pilots having to fly with the same engine. “With all the standard engine changes and new rules that we have, I do think there will be much closer races than before and therefore, it should be far more exciting,” said the veteran pilot ahead of the event which takes place at the Corniche in Abu Dhabi on Friday and Saturday.

The two-time champion added: “I’m not going to make any predictions on the championship until we’ve seen the results from the first couple of races.”

Bonhomme, record winner of 13 races, knows he will be up against 11 title rivals as he bids to claim a third straight title.

“Personally, I don’t consider myself the world champion any more because from now it starts again [after such a long time]. So I will definitely try to work hard and retain my title,” said Bonhomme, who has been participating in air shows as well as flying 747s around the world the past three years.

“There are 11 pilots who are my title rivals and we should worry about all of them. There is some pressure [of being champion], but it is important to keep that in context.

We coped with the pressure in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, so I’m hoping we can control the emotion in the same way.”

And after three years of no competition, Bonhomme is as intrigued as anyone as to who will come up tops on Saturday.

“I have no idea [who will win],” said Bonhomme, who has spent 30 hours flying his new plane.

“There have been so many rule changes that we’ll not know who is going to do well until at least the qualifying day has been completed. We are as keen as you are to see who will be at the top.”