2012 UIM CLASS ONE WORLD POWERBOAT CHAMPIONSHIP
Pearl Qatar Grand Prix, March 14-17, 2012
For immediate release
Monday, March 12th, 2012
QATAR PREPARES TO HOST FIRST CLASS ONE WORLD
POWERBOAT CHAMPIONSHIP RACE SINCE 2009
· World’s leading offshore racers head to the Pearl Qatar
· Sheikh Hassan and Ali Al-Neama to spearhead Qatar’s challenge
DOHA (QATAR): This week the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF) will host its first round of the UIM Class One World Powerboat Championship since 2009.
The Pearl Qatar Grand Prix, the opening round of the world’s premier offshore racing series, has made a welcome return to the championship to coincide with a determined bid for title honours being waged by the QMSF’s two Spirit of Qatar boats in the hands of His Excellency Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani and Steve Curtis and Ali Al-Neama and Matteo Nicolini.
The QMSF have made changes to the more traditional format of Qatar’s previous Class One races. The offshore Grand Prix will now take place on Thursday, March 15th and Saturday, March 17th, instead of the traditional Friday and Saturday dates for the races.
The race venue has also moved from Doha Bay and the Corniche to a more challenging course off the coast of the Pearl Qatar.
“At the QMSF we have been trying to move the sport to a different level, by creating new events and making it more and more attractive to come and join in,” said Sheikh Hassan.
“For that reason, we moved to the Pearl Qatar, as it reflects the new waterfront in Qatar and also the growing marine activities in Qatar and the region as a whole.
“For the first time we will be opening the wet pit area to the general public on Friday between 1pm and 5pm for spectators to get close and personal with the boats, teams and drivers and, maybe, get a true insight into what Class 1 looks like up close. There may even be a chance for spectators to be inside the cockpit in one of these machines.”
A hectic timetable of activities gets underway with administration, registration and technical scrutineering at the Pearl Qatar on Tuesday afternoon.
The first official 90-minute practice of the new season starts at 10.00hrs on the pole position course on Wednesday (March 14th) to enable drivers to prepare for the crucial Edox Pole Position (qualifying) between 14.30hrs and 16.00hrs on Wednesday afternoon.
After a second official practice session from 10.00hrs on Thursday morning, race one of the Pearl Qatar Grand Prix starts at 15.00hrs.
Friday’s new timetable now includes official practice between 10.00hrs and 11.00hrs and the boats will then be on display at the Pearl Marina throughout the afternoon.
Teams can benefit from a final 90-minute practice session on Saturday morning from 10.00hrs and the longer second race of the Pearl Grand Prix fires into life at 15.00hrs.
2012 Pearl Qatar Grand Prix – provisional timetable
Tuesday, March 13th
14.00-16.00 Administration, registration and scrutineering
17.00 Driver briefing
Wednesday, March 14th
09.00 Driver course viewing
10.00-11.30 Official practice (pole position course)
14.30-16.00 Edox Pole Position
Thursday, March 15th
10.00-11.30 Official practice
15.00 Pearl Qatar Grand Prix – race 1
Friday, March 16th
10.00-11.00 Official practice
13.00-17.00 Boats in Pearl Marina
Saturday, March 17th
10.00-11.30 Official practice
15.00 Pearl Qatar Grand Prix – race 2
Ends
For further information:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Mobile: + 44 7831 123153, E-mail: ndppublicity@googlemail.com,
www.ndp-publicity.com (press releases).
www.qmsf.org
www.class-1.com