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MEDIA INFORMATION
2017 UIM F1 H2O WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Grand Prix of Liuzhou, China – September 29-October 1
LIUZHOU OPPORTUNITY FOR TEAM ABU DHABI’S CARELLA TO PUSH TOWARDS UIM F1 H2O WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE
· Team Abu Dhabi to field three-boat team in fourth round of prestigious UIM F2 series
LIUZHOU (CHINA): Tuesday, September 26: Team Abu Dhabi’s Alex Carella has the perfect opportunity to extend his advantage in the 2017 UIM F1 H2O World Championship when he and team-mates Thani and Rashed Al-Qemzi take part in this weekend’s Grand Prix of Liuzhou on the Lui River in China.
Three-time World Champion Carella (2011, 2012 and 2013) currently leads the six-round series by eight points after three races and knows that a podium finish would enhance his chance of winning a first driver’s title with the team running under the auspices of the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC).
Team Sweden’s Erik Stark – a four-time F2 World Champion – led from pole position to secure his first ever victory in F1 in Harbin last month and the Swede is now tied in third position in the points’ standings with defending champion Philippe Chiappe of France. Two-time World Champion Sami Selio is Carella’s closest rival on 30 points, despite not finishing the last race in China.
“I start to think of the championship now and not winning each of the races,” said a determined Carella. “In Harbin, Sami (Selio) and Shaun (Torrente) retired and I decided to settle for my fourth position. It was a good result for me and for Team Abu Dhabi. Now the outcome is in our hands. We will take each race as it comes.”
Thani Al-Qemzi is one of the most experienced racers on the F1 H2O scene and the Emirati holds sixth in the championship standings. He knows that victory in Liuzhou could catapult him into contention for the title as well, although his and Carella’s joint success so far this season means that Team Abu Dhabi heads to Liuzhou with a 19-point advantage over Team Sweden in the UIM Teams’ Championship.
Rashed Al-Qemzi drives the third boat and is enjoying mixed results on his first foray into F1 racing after winning last year’s F4-S Trophy title. The talented young Emirati faces two of the most important weeks of his career as well: he will head straight to Portugal after the Grand Prix of Liuzhou to try and clinch a maiden UIM F2 World Championship in Ribadouro.
The Liuzhou race meeting will also feature two 20-minute F4 races. Team Abu Dhabi’s Mohammed Al-Mehairbi moved up to third in the Trophy standings after finishing runner-up in the second of the Harbin races. Mansoor Al-Mansoori of the Emirates Racing Team holds a one-point advantage over Frenchman Jeremy Brisset heading to the Chinese double-header.
Etihad Airways is the official carrier for Team Abu Dhabi that is also supported by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and runs under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Khalifa Al-Nahyan, advisor to the Head of State and chairman of the board of directors of the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club and under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Sultan Bin Khalifa Al-Nahyan, Vice-President and CEO of the ADIMSC. The racing team runs under the umbrella of the ADIMSC, board member and general manager Salem Al-Remeithi and team manager Guido Cappellini.
“We are entering a crucial part of the season and the next two weeks could well map out our successes this year,” said Al-Remeithi. “The team is well prepared and we are looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead.”
The weekend’s timetable gets underway with technical scrutineering and registration on Friday (September 29), followed by free practice for the F1 and F4 boats in the afternoon.
F4 drivers take to the water from 09.30hrs for further free practice and timed trials on Saturday morning and this precedes a one-hour practice session for the F1 runners, starting at 10.30hrs. The first of the two 20-minute F4 races starts at 13.30hrs and is followed by the three-stage BRM Qualifying sessions from 15.00hrs (11.00hrs UAE time).
Further F4 free practice and timed trials start at 08.30hrs on Sunday (October 1) morning and are followed by the final F1 practice session at 09.45hrs and the second of the F4 races from 11.10hrs. The 2017 Grand Prix of Liuzhou takes centre stage on the Liu River course from 14.00hrs (10.00hrs UAE time).
2017 UIM F1 H2O World Championship – positions after round 3:
1. Alex Carella (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 38pts
2. Sami Selio (FIN) Mad Croc Baba Racing 30pts
3. Erik Stark (SWE) Team Sweden 27pts
3. Philippe Chiappe (FRA) CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team 27pts
5. Ahmed Al-Hameli (UAE) Victory Team 21pts
6. Thani Al-Qemzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 20pts
7. Duarte Benavente (PRT) F1 Atlantic Team 14pts
8. Shaun Torrente (USA) Victory Team 12pts
8. Jonas Andersson (SWE) Team Sweden 12pts
10. Bartek Marszalak (POL) Blaze Performance Team 11pts, etc
2017 UIM F1 H2O Pole Position Trophy – positions after round 3:
1. Erik Stark (SWE) Team Sweden 32pts
1. Ahmed Al-Hameli (UAE) Victory Team 32pts
3. Philippe Chiappe (FRA) CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team 31pts
4. Shaun Torrente (USA) Victory Team 29pts
5. Alex Carella (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 27pts
6. Thani Al-Qemzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 24pts
7. Sami Selio (FIN) Mad Croc Baba Racing 17pts
8. Grant Trask (AUS) F1 Atlantic Team 7pts
9. Duarte Benavente (PRT) F1 Atlantic Team 5pts
2017 UIM F4-S Trophy – latest positions:
1. Mansoor Al-Mansoori (UAE) Emirates Racing Team 44pts
2. Jeremy Brisset (FRA) F1 Atlantic Team 43pts
3. Mohammed Al-Mehairbi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 34pts
4. Kalle Viippo (FIN) Mad Croc Baba Racing 24pts
5. Louise Vella (AUS) Team Sweden 18pts
6. Mohamed Al-Yamahi (UAE) Victory Team 16pts
7. Sebastien Haugaard (SWE) Team Sweden 15pts
8. Corentin Guesnel (FRA) Maverick F1 13pts
9. Damon Cohen (AUS) Blaze Performance 8pts
10. Bingchen Wu (CHN) CTIC F1 China Team 7pts
– Ends –
For further media information and information about Team Abu Dhabi:
Please contact: Khalid Al Saadi, Media Incharge, Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club, P.O. Box 45656, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Mobile Telephone: + 971 50 768 6761, E-mail: alsaadi@adimsc.ae.
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