2013 UIM F1 H2O WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Grand Prix of Qatar- round 4, November 21-23
For immediate release
Wednesday, November 20th, 2013
QATAR’S CARELLA AND TORRENTE HAVE GOLDEN CHANCE
TO PULL CLEAR OF RIVALS IN HOME F1 H2O GRAND PRIX
· Adverse weather conditions cross Doha Bay on Wednesday
· Khalid Abdullah Al-Kuwari set for F-4S races in Qatar Team
DOHA (Qatar): Defending World Champion Alex Carella and his talented team mate Shaun Torrente have a golden chance to pull clear of their rivals at this weekend’s 10th Grand Prix of Qatar, round four of the 2013 UIM F1 H2O World Championship.
Carella heads into an eagerly awaited showdown with two-time former champion Sami Selio of Finland, with both drivers tied at the top of the points standings. Friday’s qualifying session could be vital for the duo to get a better starting position for Saturday afternoon’s race on Doha Bay, which is being organised by the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF) under the auspices of the UIM and H2O Racing.
Adverse weather conditions and heavy rain showers passed through the area on Wednesday and race officials are keeping their fingers crossed that further poor weather does not force changes to the crowded race timetable. Nations Cup crews were permitted on to the course for their free practice sessions on Wednesday: Khalid Abdullah Al-Kuwari and Mohammed Al-Obaidli are representing Team Qatar.
Ready to pounce on any mistakes made by the top two will be Carella’s Qatar team mate Shaun Torrente and the talented Frenchman Phillipe Chiappe. The latter holds third in the points’ standings – a mere five adrift of the leading pair – and Torrente will be leaving nothing to chance in his quest for a maiden Grand Prix win. He is just nine points behind the top two and, with 20 points on offer for the winner of the Qatar race, he will be pushing hard from the start.
“Shaun and I may be rivals for the championship but we work together in the interests of the Qatar Team,” said Carella. “I know that a podium is the main target, but I am hoping for calm conditions. I don’t want to have to push if we have some waves out on the course. I would rather leave that for the races in the UAE.”
This year’s championship has developed into a four-driver race with three events remaining in Qatar and the UAE. Missing the podium in Doha Bay would all but certainly spoil Thani Al-Qamzi’s dreams of taking the title for Team Abu Dhabi this year.
“The important thing is we are leading both the teams’ and drivers’ championships here in Qatar, but the difference this season is that we cannot win the title in Abu Dhabi and it will be decided in Sharjah,” 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.
“It is not so easy this year. The Nations Cup is a welcome addition for us. Our drivers are focused and I am sure that we can deliver a podium finish. Khalid (Abdullah Al-Kuwari) had engine problems in China and that was a setback. But he is confident and I think he will deliver for our team here.”
With Qatar also hosting its inaugural Nations Cup this weekend, the pit area on Doha Corniche is a hive of activity, with teams working on boats for the F1, Nations Cup and F-4S races.
Leading the home assault in the F-4S challenge for the Eurofin Trophy will be Khalid Abdullah Al-Kuwari. He currently holds sixth in the points’ standings, with Germany’s Mike Szymura leading the way after five races from Sweden’s Nicklas Friberg.
Tomorrow (Thursday) the F-4S teams will take to the water – weather permitting – for their free practice, timed trials and the first of the two races for the Eurofin Trophy. The F-4S race will start at 4pm and follows the Nations Cup timed trials at 11am and the match races at 2pm.
2013 UIM F1 H20 Championship – positions after round 3
1. Alex Carella (QAT) Qatar Team 44 pts
1. Sami Selio (FIN) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team 44 pts
3. Phillipe Chiappe (FRA) CTIC China Team 39 pts
4. Shaun Torrente (QAT) Qatar Team 35 pts
5. Thani Al-Qamzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 22 pts
6. Francesco Cantando (ITA) Singha F1 Racing Team 12 pts
6. Jonas Andersson (SWE) Team Azerbaijan 12 pts
8. Yousef Al-Rubayan (KWT) F1 Atlantic Team 9 pts
9. Ahmed Al-Hameli (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 7 pts
10. Valerio Lagiannella (ITA) Singha F1 Racing Team 3 pts
2013 UIM F1 H20 Pole Position Championship – positions after round 3
1. Sami Selio (FIN) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team 52 pts
2. Shaun Torrente (QAT) Qatar Team 42 pts
3. Alex Carella (QAT) Qatar Team 41 pts
4. Phillipe Chiappe (FRA) CTIC China Team 24 pts
5. Thani Al-Qamzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 12 pts
5. Francesco Cantando (ITA) Singha F1 Racing Team 12 pts
7. Jonas Andersson (SWE) Team Azerbaijan 9 pts
8. Ahmed Al-Hameli (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 7 pts
9. Yousef Al-Rubayan (KWT) F1 Atlantic Team 5 pts
2013 F-4S Eurofin Trophy – current positions
1. Mike Szymura (DEU) Atlantic Team/Interpass/GC 80 pts
2. Nicklas Friberg (SWE) Team Azerbaijan 53 pts
3. Bincheng Wu (CHN) CTIC China Team 41 pts
4. Morgan Jernfast (SWE) Team Nautica 35 pts
5. Mohamed Al-Mehairbi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 32 pts
6. Khalid Abdullah Al-Kuwari (QAT) Qatar Team 31 pts
2013 Grand Prix of Qatar – timetable of events
Thursday, November 21 (provisional)
10.30 – 10.50 F-4S free practice
11.00 – 12.00 Nations Cup timed trials
12.10 – 12.30 F-4S timed trials
14.00 – 15.30 Nations Cup match races
16.00 – 16.20 F-4S race 1
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.f1boat.com