MEDIA INFORMATIO N
2023 UIM F1 H2O WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
POLAND’S BARTEK MARSZALEK LEADS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER VICTORY IN INDONESIA
Sunday, February 26: The Strømøy Racing F1H2O Team’s Bartek Marszalek leads the 2023 UIM F1H2O World Championship after winning the opening sprint race at the Kopiko Grand Prix of Indonesia on Lake Toba on Sunday.
In front of an estimated 100,000 spectators who lined the shores of the world’s largest volcanic lake in northern Sumatra, a fierce wind ruined the chance of race two being completed in the afternoon and the Pole was able to wrap up a successful weekend with a five-point lead in the Drivers’ Championship.
The Sharjah Team’s Sami Seliö holds second place in the standings after finishing in a similar position in race one, while Sweden’s Erik Stark returned to ther Victory Team for the first time since 2019 and holds third place.
Defending World Champion Shaun Torrente of Team Abu Dhabi incurred a one-lap penalty for jump starting the lights at the start of race one and earned points for ninth, while the China CTIC Team’s Peter Morin and Torrente’s team-mate Thani Al-Qemzi hold fourth and fifth in the rankings.
Kopiko Grand Prix of Indonesia – race 1
The Strømøy Racing F1H2O Team’s Bartek Marszalek followed up his first ever pole position by securing a maiden victory on his 50th race start, when he led Kopiko Grand Prix of Indonesia race one from start-to-finish on Sunday lunchtime.
Team Abu Dhabi’s Shaun Torrente missed out on pole position after his fastest lap was disqualified in the morning’s BRM Qualifying session and the American looked set to make amends by snatching a last-gasp victory. The defending World Champion trailed Marszalek until the last few tours of the 18-lap sprint race and, when the action resumed after a late yellow flag, Torrente managed to pass the Pole but was deemed to have made a jump start and was later handed a one-lap penalty that dropped him to ninth position.
A delighted Marszalek said: “What a fantastic feeling to win the race. I really enjoyed it. The weather was perfect this morning for qualifying and we had a lot of spectators around the shore. So many smiles give me extra horse power. I feel very good in the boat.”
The Sharjah Team’s Sami Seliö finished second overall and the Victory Team’s returning Erik Stark rounded off the podium places. When Jonas Andersson dropped back with technical issues over the last couple of laps to finish eighth, China CTIC Team’s Peter Morin and Torrente’s team-mate Thani Al-Qemzi stormed through to claim fourth and fifth positions.
2023 Kopiko Grand Prix of Indonesia – race 1 result:
1. Bartek Marszalek (POL) Strømøy Racing F1H2O Team 18 laps
2. Sami Seliö (FIN) Sharjah Team @ 1.97sec
3. Erik Stark (SWE) Victory Team @ 3.26sec
4. Peter Morin (FRA) China CTIC Team @ 4.18sec
5. Thani Al-Qemzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi @ 5.87sec
6. Brent Dillard (USA) China CTIC Team @ 10.18sec
7. Filip Roms (FIN) Gillman Racing @ 12.09sec
8. Jonas Andersson (SWE) Team Sweden @ 13.66sec
9. Shaun Torrente (USA) Team Abu Dhabi 1 lap behind
10. Ahmed Al-Fahim (UAE) Victory Team 1 lap behind
11. Alexandre Bourgeot (FRA) Maverick Racing 1 lap behind
12. Alberto Comparato (ITA) Comparato F1 1 lap behind
13. Cédric Deguisne (FRA) Maverick Racing 1 lap behind
14. Kalle Viippo (FIN) Team Sweden 1 lap behind
15. Duarte Benavente (POR) F1 Atlantic Team 1 lap behind
16. Ferdinand Zandbergen (NLD) Sharjah Team DNF
17. Ben Jelf (GBR) F1 Atlantic Team DNF
18. Marit Strømøy (NOR) Strømøy Racing F1H2O Team DNF
19. Brock Cohen (AUS) Comparato F1 DNF
20. Alec Weckström (FIN) Gillman Racing DNS
Kopiko Grand Prix of Indonesia – race 2
Starting positions for race two on Sunday afternoon were determined by the finishing order of race one and, therefore, Marszalek, Seliö and Stark lined up in first, second and third positions on the start pontoon for the second 18-lap race in the presence of Joko Widodo, the President of the Republic of Indonesia and a large government entourage. Torrente was down in ninth on the revised circuit after his jump start in race one.
The wind had strengthened by the time the race was green-flagged and white horses were prevalent on the lake while race officials re-positioned a couple of errant turn buoys. There was an inevitable delay while Race Director Luis Miguel Ribero decided whether the race could go ahead. Alec Weckström, Marit Strømøy and Ferdinand Zandbergen were non-starters in any case.
From the start, Marszalek was unable to hold the advantage in the appalling water conditions and ceded the lead to Morin with Al-Qemzi snatching second place. Racers began to slow and withdraw from the course and only 11 drivers remained on the course after two laps. Morin led from Maverick Racing Alexandre Bourgeot when the chequered flag was raised to abandon the race after three laps.
2023 Kopiko Grand Prix of Indonesia – race 2 result:
Race stopped after three laps – strong winds
2023 UIM F1H2O World Championship – latest positions:
1. Bartek Marszalek (POL) Strømøy Racing F1H2O Team 20pts
2. Sami Seliö (FIN) Sharjah Team 15pts
3. Erik Stark (SWE) Victory Team 12pts
4. Peter Morin (FRA) China CTIC Team 9pts
5. Thani Al-Qemzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 7pts
6. Brent Dillard (USA) China CTIC Team 5pts
7. Filip Roms (FIN) Gillman Racing 4pts
8. Jonas Andersson (SWE) Team Sweden 3pts
9. Shaun Torrente (USA) Team Abu Dhabi 2pts
10. Ahmed Al-Fahim (UAE) Victory Team 1pt
Ends