UIM F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Grand Prix of Italy, round 3
July 15-16th, 2006
For immediate release
Saturday, July 8th, 2006
QATAR TEAM AIMS FOR PODIUM
FINISH IN GRAND PRIX OF ITALY
American Jay Price joins Italy?s Massimo Roggiero in Qatar Team;
Twin BaBa challenge set to catapult Qatar Team into F1 contention
DOHA (Qatar): The Qatar F1 Team heads to Lake Como in northern Italy next weekend (July 15-16th) to take part in the Grand Prix of Italy, round three of this year?s UIM F1 World Championship.
After making a disappointing start to the season in Doha and Portimao in Portugal, the Qatar Team has entered the experienced American racer Jay Price alongside the Italian Massimo Roggiero in a pair of 2.5-litre BaBa boats. Mohammed Al-Jaidah, Qatar Marine Sport Federation?s Team Director and Head of Formula Racing, is confident that the team is more than capable of taking a podium finish and the first points of the season on the scenic Italian round of the championship,
The Qatar Team was forced to make a driver change after the opening round in Doha, following the injury sustained by Qatar?s Mohammed Al-Ali during the race in Doha Bay. Al-Ali has since been recovering from his injuries and will travel to Italy with the Qatar Team to continue his recuperation. ?Mohammed is improving all the time, but may need some more treatment on an eye injury,? admitted Al-Jaidah. ?We are looking forward to having him with us on the race in Italy.?
While Al-Jaidah admits that the Italian defending champion Guido Cappellini and American rival Scott Gillman will start as favourites to win the Grand Prix of Italy in their Mercury-engined DACs, the Qatari is convinced that Jay Price is more than capable of taking a podium finish.
?On the last race in Portugal, Jay started after three laps, but pushed his way through the field from last to fourth and set some very impressive lap times. We carried out a test with Jay earlier in the season in Doha and he was delighted with the boat and its potential. We worked with him successfully in Formula 2000. He is a very determined and talented driver.?
Team mate Roggiero began the last race on the Algarve from second position on the grid, but was involved in a collision with another competitor and was forced out of the race, but Al-Jaidah knows full well that the Italian is more than capable of matching the times set by the likes of Cappellini, Gillman, Italy?s Ivan Brigada and Saudi Arabia?s Laith Pharaon.
I went to watch the Formula race at Como last year and was impressed with the location,? added Al-Jaidah. ?I have also visited the BaBa and DAC factories and am looking forward to the race. The QMSF have now bought the boat that Jay will use and we are sponsoring Massimo?s boat as part of our two-boat team.?
Al-Jaidah is keen to point out that competition in F1 racing is increasing. ?This year is one of the most competitive in Formula 1 for many years. There are some very fast BaBa, DAC and Blaze boats out there and several drivers are more than capable of winning. In my opinion we have a very good chance in Italy.?
Louisiana-based Price began racing in 1983 and was World Champion in the SST-60 and SST-120 categories between 1996 and 1998. He finished third in the Formula 2000 World Championship four years ago and second in 2005. Thirty-nine-year-old team mate Roggiero finished ninth in last year?s UIM F1 series and eighth the previous season. He has been competing in F1 since 1995 and was third overall in both the 1998 and 2002 championships.
After the opening two rounds, Gillman leads the series on 30 points for the Emirates F1 Team, with Tamoil F1 team mates Brigada and Cappellini tied for second on 20 points and the UAE?s Thani Al-Qamzi in fourth on 16 points. Finland?s Sami Selio leads the Pole Position standings by five points from Brigada and Gillman.
The weekend?s action on Lake Como will kick-off with registration and technical scrutineering on Friday, followed by free practice, time trials and the shoot-off on Saturday and what promises to be a thrilling Grand Prix of Italy on Sunday afternoon.
Ends
For further information:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Mobile: + 44 7831 123153, E-mail: ndppublicity@compuserve.com. www.ndp-publicity.com (press releases).
www.f1boat.com
www.qmsf.org