2013 UIM F1 H2O WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi – round 5, November 27-29
For immediate release
Monday, November 25th, 2013
QATAR’S TORRENTE HEADS TO ABU DHABI WITH SEVEN-
POINT CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD OVER TEAM-MATE CARELLA
· Qatar’s Carella in determined mood after Qatar disappointment
· Khalid Abdullah Al-Kuwari aims to build on busy Qatar schedule
ABU DHABI (UAE): The Qatar Team’s Shaun Torrente heads to the Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi this week with a seven-point lead over team-mate Alex Carella in the 2013 UIM F1 H2O World Championship.
Despite a protest being lodged over an incident that occurred during his dramatic race victory in Qatar on Saturday afternoon, race officials decided that the win should stand. The Qatar Team driver’s first GP win was made even sweeter when his lead at the top of the points’ standings grew from four to seven points when Frenchman Phillipe Chiappe was later disqualified from third position for hitting a turn buoy on the Doha Bay course.
There is no disputing that Torrente was outraced by Carella on Doha Bay and he would have finished second had the Italian’s engine not let go near the end. But Torrente is the only man in the paddock at the moment capable of matching and beating the Italian and the duo should enjoy another sensational Qatar Team showdown on the Abu Dhabi course off the Breakwater on Friday afternoon.
“We have been winning in Abu Dhabi consistently over the last few years and I am confident that we can achieve the 1-2 finish that slipped away last weekend in Qatar,” 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.
“Brendan (Power) and the team have worked to find the cause of the problems that affected Alex’s engine and we will be ready to go in Abu Dhabi. Whoever wins on Friday, I am sure it will be a Qatar Team driver. The championship is now wide open and we, as a Qatar Team, are happy that we are leading the points with a 1-2.
“I was surprised to see that Phillipe Chiappe was disqualified after the race in Qatar, but I was not surprised to see that Shaun’s victory stood after the protest. It was obvious to me that it was a fair win and we were delighted that he could get his first Formula 1 success on the board.”
Qatar’s Khalid Abdullah Al-Kuwari and Mohammed Al-Obaidly represented the Qatar Team in their home event in the F-4S category for the Eurofin Tophy on Saturday and Al-Kuwari now holds fourth in the points’ standings behind runaway series leader Mike Szymura of Germany, Sweden’s Nicklas Friberg and China’s Bincheng Wu. Podium finishes in the two Abu Dhabi races could well move the Qatari into the top three if results go his way.
Registration and technical scrutineering for the races take place at the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club on Wednesday and the first of the permitted free practice sessions for both the F1 H2O and F-4S entrants get underway from 08.00 hrs (Qatar time) on Thursday morning (November 28).
The first of the two F-4S races fires into life at 13.00hrs (Qatar time) and the three qualifying stints to determine the starting grid takes centre stage at 14.30hrs (Qatar time).
Friday (November 29) is race day on Abu Dhabi and further free practice sessions before lunch precede the second of the F-4S races at 13.00hrs (Qatar time) and the Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at 14.30hrs (Qatar time).
2013 UIM F1 H20 Championship – positions after round 4
1. Shaun Torrente (QAT) Qatar Team 55 pts
2. Alex Carella (QAT) Qatar Team 48 pts
3. Sami Selio (FIN) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team 44 pts
4. Phillipe Chiappe (FRA) CTIC China Team 39 pts
5. Jonas Andersson (SWE) Team Azerbaijan 27 pts
6. Thani Al-Qamzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 22 pts
7. Yousef Al-Rubayan (KWT) F1 Atlantic Team 21 pts
8. Francesco Cantando (ITA) Singha F1 Racing Team 12 pts
9. Duarte Benavente (POR) F1 Atlantic Team 12 pts
10. Marit Stromoy (NOR) Team Nautica 9 pts
11. Ahmed Al-Hameli (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 7 pts, etc
2013 UIM F1 H20 Pole Position Championship – positions after round 4
1. Alex Carella (QAT) Qatar Team 61 pts
1. Sami Selio (FIN) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team 61 pts
3. Shaun Torrente (QAT) Qatar Team 57 pts
4. Phillipe Chiappe (FRA) CTIC China Team 31 pts
5. Jonas Andersson (SWE) Team Azerbaijan 21 pts
6. Thani Al-Qamzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 17 pts
7. Francesco Cantando (ITA) Singha F1 Racing Team 12 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 – Drivers’ Championship after Qatar
1. Mike Szymura (DEU) Atlantic Team/Interpass/GC 112 pts
2. Niklas Friberg (SWE) Team Azerbaijan 67 pts
3. Bincheng Wu (CHN) CTIC China Team 65 pts
4. Khalid Abdullah Al-Kuwari (QAT) Qatar Team 50 pts
5. Nikita Lijcs (LAT) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team 35 pts
5. Morgan Jernfast (SWE) Team Nautica 35 pts
7. Mohamed Al-Mehairbi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 32 pts
8. Alberto Comparato (ITA) Team Nautica 20 pts
9. Eirik Danielsen (NOR) Team Nautica 19 pts
10. Jan Andre Landsnes (NOR) Singha Racing Team 18 pts
11. Maicol Chiossi (ITA) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team 16 pts
12. Rashid Al-Romaithi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 8 pts
13. Mohammed Al-Obaidly (QAT) Team Qatar 6 pts
Ends
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www.qmsf.org
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