Sharjah: CTIC China driver Philippe Chiappe reserved the best for the last as he claimed Pole Position ahead of Qatar Team’s three-time defending world champion Alex Carella at the season-finale Sharjah Grand Prix, the fifth round of the 2014 UIM F1 World Powerboat Championship at the Khalid Lagoon here on Thursday.

Chiappe, who is holding a narrow three-point lead going into Friday’s final round, posted the fastest time of 44.33 seconds in his very last lap on the lagoon to leave last year’s Sharjah Grand Prix winner Carella in second with a time of 45.12 seconds.

Till that final lap from the 51-year-old Frenchman, it looked like the Qatar Team was headed towards yet another dominating season like last year. But, Chiappe had other plans as he cut the corners fine on the flat waters of the Sharjah Corniche to finish with the best time in the third and final qualifying session.

“This is exactly how we had perceived things to go as we went ahead with the set-up of the boat. Now with the Pole Position we are more relaxed as we can look at ourselves as a genuine contender for the world title,” Chiappe told Gulf News.

Carella, who is second in the overall standings to successful try and defend the world crown he won at the same venue last season, will start off in second place with the hope and a prayer he can have a quick start and head for the first turn before Chiappe, who is chasing his first-ever world crown.

The CTIC China Team driver goes into Friday’s final race separated by just three points from Carella who has 47 points, and the second Qatari driver Torrente is within striking distance with 44 points.

Team Sweden’s Jonas Andersson will start from third place while Sami Selio of the Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team will take off from fourth followed by Qatar’s Team’s second driver Shaun Torrente.

With only the top six drivers awarded points for Pole Position, there was very little Chiappe could do to deny Carella of the World Pole Position crown as the Qatar Team driver took his tally to 63 points, compared to Chiappe’s 62. The overall team title has already been won by the Qatar Team for the second year running.

The Sharjah Grand Prix, the fifth and final round of the UIM F1 World Powerboat Championships, will be flagged off at 4 pm on Friday.