2007 UIM F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Grand Prix of Qatar 2, Doha – November 27th, round 6 of 8
For immediate release
Tuesday, November 27th, 2007
SECOND QATAR GRAND PRIX VICTORY
FALLS TO ITALIAN GUIDO CAPPELLINI
Qatar Team’s Jay Price takes hard-earned fifth position
In-form Al-Qamzi finishes second; Swede Lundin in third
DOHA (Qatar): Como-based driver Guido Cappellini from the Tamoil F1 Team clinching a stunning start-to-finish victory in the fourth Grand Prix of Qatar, round six of.the UIM F1 World Championship, to extend his championship lead to 15 points over race runner-up Thani Al-Qamzi.
Nineteen of the original 24 boats made the start of the second Doha race, but this pair were always the pick of the bunch, although the Qatar Team’s Jay Price held fourth position for a lap before slipping back behind the fourth-placed Emirati Ahmed Al-Hameli near the finish. Sweden’s Pierre Lundin clinched his second successive podium finish in the two Doha races with third overall and Frenchman Phillipe Chiappe trailed Price in sixth. .
“I am quite happy with the result,” said Qatar F1 team manager Pelle Larsson. “We have learned a lot this weekend and have a lot of data that will help us in the future. If I had to single out a mistake we made, it would have been the set-up for the rougher water. But Jay finished the race in a good position and I am pleased for the entire team at the QMSF. Now we can look forward to the next race in Abu Dhabi with enthusiasm.”
The leaders settled into order for the first 10 of the 45 laps, although the Qatar Team’s Leo Bonelli – who had qualified 11th for the race – collided with Fabio Comparato and was forced to return to the pontoon after 15 laps with a hole in the rear of his BaBa. “It may have been possible to continue unless we had a yellow flag situation and we could have taken on water,” said his Italian team chief.
Jonas Andersson had been lying third from the start, but he was involved in an incident on lap 11 and a yellow flag was raised for the next three tours. Cappellini and Al-Qamzi resumed their battle at the head of the field, although David Trask managed to slip ahead of Price and moved into fourth place on lap 21, at the expense of Al-Hameli. Francesco Cantando retired on lap 21, as Cappellini, Al-Qamzi, Lundin, Trask, Al-Hameli and Price headed the pack. Price was benefiting from a new engine and gear casing that had been fitted after practice on Tuesday morning.
The race became processional for the next eight laps, although Price began to pressurise Al-Hameli and slipped into fifth place on the 30th lap, just before David Trask dramatically crashed out of contention on a left-hand corner heading into the grandstand straight. The yellow flag was raised for a second time and 13 boats followed the pace boat for five laps, by which time championship contender Sami Selio, running a lap down, found himself sandwiched between Cappellini and Al-Qamzi at the restart.
As Cappellini headed off into the distance once again, Al-Hameli slipped back in front of Price and the leading quintet of Cappellini, Al-Qamzi, Lundin, Al-Hameli and Price looked set to hold station over the closing laps. Indeed there was none of the drama of the first Doha race near the end and Cappellini duly extended his world championship lead to 15 points and Price claimed his first finish in four races for the Qatar Team.
The timetable was brought forward for the second race and teams had hoped to benefit from better morning weather conditions for the final 45-minute practice session. It was cloudy and blustery at the outset, however, with a threat of rain in the air. Al-Qamzi was the first driver to break the 50-second barrier with a lap of 49.05s and that was followed by Andersson, Lundin and Cappellini.
Price posted a first tour of 50.42s with a full load of fuel on board, but the yellow flag was waved when Phillipe Tourre hooked his boat heavily into a left-hander, rolled, tore the engine off the transom, lost the rear cowl and was towed to the pontoon with 26 minutes to go.
Price was disappointed with his practice: “I had no power from the start,” said the American. “It was a bit like the shoot-out on Monday. We changed props, but it was no better. We need to look at everything before the race.” Cappellini and Al-Qamzi were the class of the field in practice, with the Italian winning the session in 47.55s, from the Emirati, Andersson, Lundin and Price. Qatar’s Bonelli was 14th in 53.20s.
The two Doha races were organised by Mohammed Al-Jaidah and his team at the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF), under the presidency of His Excellency Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani.
2007 Grand Prix of Qatar 2 – final results:
1. Guido Cappellini (I) Tamoil F1 51m 58s
2. Thani Al-Qamzi (UAE) Emirates F1 Team @ 4.92s
3. Pierre Lundin (S) Comparato Racing @ 8.61s
4. Ahmed Al-Hameli (UAE) Emirates F1 Team @ 11.71s
5. Jay Price (USA) Qatar Team @ 12.61s
6. Phillipe Chiappe (F) Atlantic Team one lap behind
7. Sami Selio (FIN) F1 Team Energy one lap behind
8. Fabio Comporato (I) Comporato Racing one lap behind
9. Fabrizio Bocca (I) Rainbow Team two laps behind
10. Bob Trask (AUS) XPV Racing two laps behind
2007 UIM F1 World Championship – positions after round 6 of 8:
1. Guido Cappellini (I) Tamoil F1 85 pts
2. Thani Al-Qamzi (UAE) Emirates F1 Team 70 pts
3. Sami Selio (FIN) F1 Team Energy 64 pts
4. Pierre Lundin (S) Comparato Racing 38 pts
5. Scott Gillman (USA) Emirates F1 Team 35 pts
6. Jay Price (USA) Qatar Team 28 pts
7. Phillipe Chiappe (F) Atlantic Team 24 pts, etc
2007 Teams’ Championship – positions after round 6 of 8:
1. Emirates F1 Team 114 pts
2. Tamoil F1 Team 95 pts
3. F1 Team Energy 69 pts
4. Comparato Racing 41 pts
5. Qatar Team 35 pts
6. Atlantic Team 31 pts, etc
Ends
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