REVISED QUALIFYING AND RACE FORMAT INTRODUCED FOR ITALIAN GRAND PRIX OF REGIONE SARDEGNA
Tuesday, September 5: H2O Racing will use a revised format for the Italian Grand Prix of Regione Sardegna, the penultimate round of the 2023 UIM F1H2O World Championship.
Because of the exciting new format of the spectacular course in Olbia, the schedule for race weekend has been modified with the actual race being restricted to 16 boats. The format for race weekend is as follows:
Groups A and B will be divided into boats running with even and odd numbers and each group will carry out a free practice session on Friday (September 29th) from 15.00hrs onwards after customary registration and technical scrutineering.
There will be a special 30-minute qualifying session for each group from 10.00hrs on Saturday morning. Each group will then tackle their own 15-minute Sprint race from 15.00hrs using a starting order from the times set in the morning’s qualifying session. Provided that they have finished the Sprint race or completed at least 75% of the laps, the top seven racers from each group will then qualify for Sunday’s Grand Prix. If less than seven boats from either of the groups have not qualified for the main race, additional positions will be available on Sunday.
The final places on the starting pontoon will then be determined on Sunday morning in a 20-minute Repechage session, starting at 10.00hrs. Potentially, six boats will take to the water and, regardless of their Group, the fastest two will take the last available positions for the Grand Prix. Boats that have already qualified will then be permitted a 30-minute warm-up session on the water from 10.30hrs.
The Italian Grand Prix of Regione Sardegna is scheduled to fire into life at 15.00hrs with 16 boats on the start pontoon and the leading start positions determined by the results and fastest lap times in the Sprint races. This will account for the top 14 boats with the boat that set the fastest lap in the Repechage session qualifying in 15th and the rear of the pontoon going to the driver who finishing second in the Repechage.
Olbia is a vital cog in the H2O Racing calendar and has seen some spectacular racing both in the power boat and aquabike disciplines in the past. The sport is extremely popular with local crowds and racers alike and receives enthusiastic support from local business and the regional authorities. The exciting new extended format will not only provide a safer environment for racing, but it will also enable local crowds to see extra racing action throughout the weekend with the different on-water sessions.
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