2013 UIM F1 H2O WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Grand Prix of Ukraine – round 2, July 26-28
For immediate release
Tuesday, July 23rd, 2013
QATAR TEAM’S TORRENTE AND CARELLA AIM
FOR UKRAINE RACE SUCCESS ON KIEV SEA
· Qatar’s Khalid Al-Kuwari represents QMSF team in UIM F-4S races
· Torrente aims to dispel 2012 disappointment with win in Ukraine
KIEV (Ukraine): The Qatar Team’s Shaun Torrente and defending UIM F1 H20 World Champion Alex Carella continued their challenge for honours in this year’s championship at this weekend’s Grand Prix of Ukraine on the Kiev Sea at Vyshgorod.
The pair finished second and third in the opening race of the series in Brasilia last month and trail winner and early series leader Sami Selio of Finland by five and eight points, respectively.
Torrente will be hoping to put what happened at the Ukraine race last year firmly to the back of his mind when he lines up alongside some of the fastest racers in the world for Friday’s qualifying and Saturday afternoon’s race.
He was heading for a first career win from just nine starts when the 2012 race was yellow flagged and restarted with less than three laps to run. The Qatar Team driver’s DAC engine cruelly let go on the far side of the circuit and he was forced down to 10th position, his demise handing the win to Selio.
“Last year’s race was shaping up to be a career high water mark,” reflects Torrente. “I made a nice move on Sami and cleanly passed him for the lead. It’s one of those days you’ll always remember. I had also been leading in Kazan, but it turned out that I did not finish either race, which was very frustrating.
“Now, I am more determined than ever to get another opportunity to win again from the front of the field. I’ve got a great team and we all have faith and believe in each other. This has been the key to our success.”
Carella finished third in that Kiev race last season and went on to clinch the world title for the second time in Abu Dhabi and finished the season 17 points clear of runner-up Phillipe Chiappe. He is chasing a third world title this season with the Qatar Team.
“It was certainly a dramatic and disappointing finish to the race for us last year,” said Khalid bin Arhama AL-Kuwari, head of formula racing at the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF), which runs under the presidency of His Excellency Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani.
“Taking the win in Kiev is even more important for us now, because the proposed race in Shanghai in September has now been postponed and we have lost a race. We have had no time for testing or any changes since Brazil, but we all know the importance of finishing first and second or at least making the podium in Kiev.”
Khalid Abdullah Al-Kuwari will represent the Qatar Team in the two UIM F-4S races for the Eurofin Trophy. The Qatari amassed 24 points from his two third places at the inaugural Brazilian race meeting and trails Sweden’s Niklas Friberg – winner of the first two races – by 16 points. Germany’s Mike Szymura is second on 30 points after taking two second places in Brazil.
“I hope that Khalid can drive the boat smoothly and continue to learn more about the boat and the nature of the race course,” added Khalid bin Arhama Al-Kuwari.
Technical scrutineering gets the weekend’s timetable underway on Thursday before teams take to the water for the first free practice sessions from 11.15hrs on Friday morning. The first of the two F-4S races for the Eurofin Trophy gets underway at 17.00hrs and the F1 qualification session follows at 18.00hrs.
Further free practice is permitted for the F1 and F-4S entrants on Saturday morning and the second F-4S race starts at 15.00hrs. The 2013 Grand Prix of Ukraine fires into life at 18.00hrs and there will be a series of match races for the President’s Cup to round off the weekend on Sunday morning.
2013 UIM F1 H20 Championship – positions after round 1
1. Sami Selio (FIN) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team 20 pts
2. Shaun Torrente (QAT) Qatar Team 15 pts
3. Alex Carella (QAT) Qatar Team 12 pts
4. Thani Al-Qamzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 9 pts
5. Phillipe Chiappe (FRA) CTIC China Team 7 pts
6. Francesco Cantando (ITA) Singha F1 Racing Team 5 pts
7. Ahmed Al-Hameli (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 4 pts
8. Valerio Lagiannella (ITA) Singha F1 Racing Team 3 pts
9. Yousef Al-Rubayan (KWT) F1 Atlantic Team 2 pts
10. Marit Stromoy (NOR) Team Nautica 1 pt
2013 UIM F1 H20 Pole Position Championship – positions after round 1
1. Sami Selio (FIN) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team 20 pts
2. Shaun Torrente (QAT) Qatar Team 15 pts
3. Alex Carella (QAT) Qatar Team 12 pts
4. Jonas Andersson (SWE) Team Azerbaijan 9 pts
5. Ahmed Al-Hameli (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 7 pts
6. Francesco Cantando (ITA) Singha F1 Racing Team 5 pts
2013 F-4S Eurofin Trophy – positions after race 2
1. Niklas Friberg (SWE) Team Azerbaijan 40 pts
2. Mike Szymura (DEU) Atlantic Team/Interpass/GC 30 pts
3. Khalid Abdullah Al-Kuwari (QAT) Qatar Team 24 pts
4. Mohamed Al-Mehairbi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 18 pts
5. Eirik Danielsen (NOR) Team Nautica 14 pts
6. Bincheng Wu (CHN) CTIC China Team 5 pts
Jan Andre Landsnes (NOR) Singha Racing Team 0 pts
Kornel Vo (HUN) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team 0 pts
Ends
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www.ndp-publicity.com (press releases).
www.qmsf.org
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