Matt Hall is confident of a good performance in this weekend's round of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship in Chiba, Japan, despite experiencing more pain during flight tests.
Hall was hampered by back pain during the last round in Spielberg, Austria, that prevented him from pulling the g forces required to post a winning time.
Test flights in Japan overnight revealed more pain in Hall's neck and back, but team manager David Lyall says the condition is not getting worse.
"It's not any worse or different to what it has been in the past," Lyall said. "During Matt's first test flight yesterday he felt a twinge in his back. He still went out and flew his second session but after that he had treatment on it.
Hall suffers from pain across his neck, upper back and shoulder blades. "This restricts the movement in his neck and causes pain when he pulls the stick back; this affects his ability to pull high g," Lyall explained.
Regardless, the team believes they are in the best shape they have been in so far this season, and are confident they can challenge for a win in Japan despite Hall's issues.
"The raceplane is the best it's been and it feels good for the team to not be jetlagged," Lyall said.
Hall currently sits eighth in the World Championship standings, 19 point adrift of leader Matthias Dolderer, so will be keen to get his season back on track with a win in Chiba on Sunday.