2023 UIM F1H2O WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
COMPARATO ON TOP IN FINAL FREE PRACTICE FOR ROAD TO SHARJAH-GRAND PRIX OF SHARJAH
Sunday, December 10: Italian Alberto Comparato topped the times in the second practice session for the Road to Sharjah-Grand Prix of Sharjah on Sunday morning.
The youngster left it until the final 15 minutes to card a fastest lap of 46.606 seconds and push Mad Croc Gillman Racing’s Grant Trask down to second after the Australian had topped the times for much of the one-hour session on Khalid Lagoon.
After a dramatic second sprint race on Saturday afternoon, Erik Stark’s yellow card was rescinded by UIM officials and Ahmad Al-Fahim’s red was downgraded to a yellow on Saturday evening. But a previous yellow awarded in Sardinia meant that Al-Fahim – who has been running on a provisional licence from the start of the season – missed the rest of the race weekend through suspension.
Marit Strømøy and Duarte Benavente were the first two drivers on to the race course in millpond conditions for the final practice stint. Trask, however, began strongly and laid down the gauntlet with a run of 47.198 seconds.
That time stood for over 45 minutes of a session where World Champion Jonas Andersson only ran for one lap. Comparato benefitted from clear water late on to card his fastest lap.
Strømøy continued to clock up the testing and development time with the Mercury V8-engined four-stroke DAC. The Norwegian finished her 21-lap stint with a best run of 48.009 seconds that put her into sixth.
Both Filip Roms and Kalle Viippo skipped the session after boat damage sustained on Saturday. Team Abu Dhabi’s Shaun Torrente was also absent after his spectacular accident in Sprint Race B.
The 2023 Road to Sharjah-Grand Prix of Sharjah takes centre stage at 15.00hrs this afternoon.
2023 Road to Sharjah-Grand Prix of Sharjah – free practice 2 result:
- Alberto Comparato (ITA) Comparato F1 46.606sec
- Grant Trask (AUS) Mad Croc Gillman Racing 47.198sec
- Peter Morin (FRA) China CTIC Team 47.619sec
- Erik Stark (SWE) Victory Team 47.693sec
- Brent Dillard (USA) China CTIC Team 47.762sec
- Marit Strømøy (NOR) Strømøy Racing F1H2O Team 48.009sec
- Jonas Andersson (SWE) Team Sweden 48.127sec
- Thani Al-Qamzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 48.608sec
- Ferdinand Zandbergen (NLD) Sharjah Team 48.712sec
- Rashed Al-Qemzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 49.200sec
- Ben Jelf (GBR) F1 Atlantic Team 49.561sec
- Sami Seliö (FIN) Sharjah Team 49.575sec
- Brock Cohen (AUS) Comparato F1 49.627sec
- Bartek Marszalek (POL) Strømøy Racing F1H2O Team 50.033sec
- Cédric Deguisne (FRA) Maverick Racing 51.735sec
- Alexandre Bourgeot (FRA) Maverick Racing 51.999sec
- Duarte Benavente (POR) F1 Atlantic Team 52.112sec
Kalle Viippo (FIN) Team Sweden DNS
Filip Roms (FIN) Mad Croc Gillman Racing DNS
Shaun Torrente (USA) Team Abu Dhabi DNS
Ahmad Al-Fahim (UAE) Victory Team DSQ
Ends