Harbin, China: Two-time World Champion Sami Selio led his teammate to a brilliant one-two qualifying effort at the Grand Prix of Harbin in the fourth round of the 2016 UIM F1H2O World Championship, on Saturday.
The 42-year-old driver from Helsinki, first watched his young 22-year-old teammate Filip ROMs throw down a brilliant 36.64 second lap around the 1.6km race circuit at the Hulan Estuary Wetland Park just outside the city of Harbin in north-east China, knowing he would have to beat his one-time student in order to get his 25th career pole position.
Selio wasted little time and did just that on the very first lap with a scintillating 36.60 time setting a speed of 201.64kph defeating his Baba Racing teammate by four one-hundreds of a second and earning his seventh pole in China in his 17-race starts in the People’s Republic.
“We had a terrific set-up and picked the perfect propeller for this short circuit,” said Selio.
“I’ve truly had my ups and downs in China and feel great now that I have back to back poles in 2016 and feel we are starting to realise that great things are hopefully on our way for the rest of the year. We will take this one at a time and with my teammate Filip alongside, I couldn’t be prouder of him and his progress that he’s made this year. We are all one big family on this team and success-breeds-success,” he added.
World points leader Alex Carella of Team Abu Dhabi was hoping to take full advantage of Q3 and the shoot-out after his two nearest pursuers, Philippe Chiappe of France and Shaun Torrente of America, both suffered with electrical and engine problems forcing Chiappe to start down in 15th on Sunday and Torrente looking up in eighth position.
The four-time Grand Prix of China winner will start fourth after running a 36.90 second lap as he holds down his two point advantage in the championship and hoping to increase this by staying ahead of both drivers on Sunday in the race.
Fifth went to Swedish driver Erik Stark in his Emirates Team DAC hull staying one boat in front of his very disappointed teammate Ahmad Al Hameli.
The veteran driver from Abu Dhabi thought he had the pole recording a 36.25 time which was .35 of a second faster than Selio’s, only to learn that his time was disallowed for going outside the designed course. His actions dropped him down to sixth on the starting grid, and losing out on what he thought was his tenth career pole.
The fourth round of the 2016 UIM F1H2O World Championship will take from 15:00 local (7pm UAE) with 18 drivers expected to take part in what will be the first of two back-to-back Grand Prix in the People’s Republic.
