Dubai: Both teams from the UAE hope to be the firm pre-race favourites as the 35th season of the UIM F1H2O World Championship gets under way at the Grand Prix of Portimao, this weekend.
The two Victory Team boats joined three boats from Team Abu Dhabi among the total 19 registered entries for the opening round of the UIM F1H2O World Championship in Portimao, Portugal late on Friday. In a breakaway from normal routine, the drivers were given an additional two hours of practice on the Arade River before Saturday’s official free practice.
There are nine teams contesting for glory through the seven rounds of the 2018 season that will conclude with the finale in Sharjah in mid-December. Among these are three multiple world champions and another nine drivers who have climbed on to the podium during their careers in F1 powerboat racing.
Joining the American in Team Abu Dhabi this season will be the experienced Thani Al Qamzi along with defending UIM F2 World Champion Rashid Al Qamzi. Thani finished fourth in the points standings last year behind Carella, Philippe Chiappe and Erik Stark even as Torrente and Rashid suffered their fair share of misfortune and bad luck during the year.
Heading the Victory Team challenge will be four-time defending world champion Alex Carella from Italy alongside the talented Ahmad Al Hameli, while Team Abu Dhabi has fielded three boats with American pilot Shaun Torrente pushing for honours along with Thani Al Qamzi and Rashid Al Qamzi.
“Our focus is to get off to a smooth start this season,” defending world champion Carella told Gulf News from Portimao.
“We have put in a lot of hard work and spent a lot of tough hours on the waters in Dubai and in Italy during the past few months. The boats are new and we are aware of what exactly we need to do to get to the top of the standings. Of course, this will be easier said that done as we know there are several serious challengers out there to ensure we do not get off to a strong start this year,” he added.
After routine formalities, drivers were permitted a two-hour extra free practice session on Friday night.
Saturday will see the official free practice at 6pm UAE time, preceding the F4 free practice, timed trials and the first of the F4 races, starting at 8.10pm. F1 qualifying will then take centre stage from 9pm.
