Sharjah: Victory Team’s Shaun Torrente won the battle, but lost the war as Philippe Chiappe joined a couple of other drivers as a three-time world champion when the Grand Prix of Sharjah concluded at the Khalid Lagoon here late on Friday.
After an absolutely brilliant start from the two front-runners for the world crown, it was Torrente making the best use of a yellow flag through one-third of the race to lead and easily win by more than 25 seconds ahead of Chiappe.
The Victory Team driver took the top spot on the podium for only the fourth time in his career — his first-ever race win outside of Qatar — while Chiappe, the CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team’s French driver, eased into second place to get enough points for a record-equalling third world crown and join Guido Cappellini and Alex Carella as winners of three or more world titles.
Shaikh Sultan Bin Ahmad Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Media Corporation and Member of the Sharjah Executive Council, was joined by Nicolo di San Germano, Promoter of the UIM F1H2O World Championship and Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) and others at the presentation of trophies to the winners.
Chiappe needed just one point to win the world tile and join former three-time champions Cappellini and Carella going into the seventh and final round of the 2016 UIM F1H2O World Championship. Ultimately, the 52-year-old French veteran was happy enough to get 15 points from second place and end with a total of 97 points and finish 14 points clear of the Victory Team driver from Miami, Florida.
“I think the start proved to be crucial for me. I had a breakdown in the radio after we stopped. Then onwards I had go by instinct and finish the race and get the points needed,” Chiappe told media.
Both Torrente and Chiappe stole an absolutely brilliant start from pole position winner Jonas Andersson as the duo chased each other down the 2,225-metre course while Andersson, Erik Stark, Bartek Marszalek and Alex Carella kept on their heels. However, somewhere on the 15th lap, China Team’s second driver Xiong Ziwei flipped bringing out the yellow flag. And it was at the restart after five laps that Torrente made his move and powered clear of the chasing pack, never to look behind.
Chiappe finished in second more than 25 seconds behind Torrente, while Sami Selio completed an impressive season of four podiums in the past five races with third place. Andersson finished in fourth and Stark completed the top-five.
“We’ve come a long way as a comparatively new team in F1 racing. We have been here for less than two seasons and we are already within one step of the world title,” the 38-year-old Torrente said while dedicating his fourth career win to his wife and daughter.
“We’ve got to move one more step and we will be there very soon,” he added.
Results at the end of the Grand Prix of Sharjah — the seventh and final round of the 2016 UIM F1H2O World Championship held at the Khalid Lagoon on Buhairah Corniche in Sharjah on Friday: 1. Shaun Torrente — (USA/Victory Team — 20pts); 2. Philippe Chiappe — (France/CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team — 15); 3. Sami Selio (Finland/Mad-Croc Baba Racing — 12); 4. Jonas Andersson — (Sweden/Team Sweden — 9); 5. Erik Stark (Sweden/Emirates Team — 7); 6. Grant Trask (Australia/EMIC Racing Team — 5); 7. Filip Roms (Finland/Mad-Croc Baba Racing — 4); 8. Duarte Benavente (Portugal/F1 Atlantic Team — 3); 9. Marit Stromoy (Norway/EMIC Racing Team — 2); 10. Nader Bin Hendi (UAE/Victory Team — 1).
Drivers’ standings at the end of the final round of the 2016 UIM F1H2O World Championship at the Khalid Lagoon in Sharjah on Friday:
1. Philippe Chiappe (France/CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team — 97pts); 2. Shaun Torrente (USA/Victory Team — 83); 3. Sami Selio (Finland/Mad-Croc Baba Racing — 66); 4. Jonas Andersson (Sweden/Team Sweden — 66); 5. Alex Carella (Italy/Team Abu Dhabi — 54); 6. Filip Roms (Finland/Mad-Croc Baba Racing — 26); 7. Erik Stark (Sweden/Emirates Team — 26); 8. Ahmad Al Hameli (UAE/Emirates Team — 25); 9. Duarte Benavente (Portugal/F1 Atlantic Team — 22); 10. Marit Stromoy (Norway/EMIC Team — 17).
Teams standings at the end of the Grand Prix of Sharjah:
1. CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team (106pts); 2. Mad-Croc Baba Racing (92); 3. Victory Team (86); 4. Team Sweden (66); 5. Team Abu Dhabi (63); 6. Emirates Racing Team (55); 7. F1 Atlantic Team (33); 8. EMIC Racing Team (21); 9. Blaze Performance Team (10); 10. Maverick Racing (9).
