UIM F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Grand Prix of Sharjah, round 6 of 6
December 15th, 2006
For immediate release
Thursday, December 14th, 2006
QATAR TEAM FACE UPHILL TASK TO TAKE
PODIUM FINISH IN GRAND PRIX OF SHARJAH
Engine problems push Price and Roggiero into 11th and 12th on start grid;
Cappellini and Gillman set for dramatic Sharjah title showdown
SHARJAH (UAE): Jay Price and Massimo Roggiero will start Friday?s Grand Prix of Sharjah, final round of this year?s UIM F1 World Championship, down the starting grid in 11th and 12th positions after two competitive time trials ended with engine problems for both of the Qatar F1 Team duo, today (Thursday).
The main attention will focus on the potentially-explosive clash between Emirates Team driver Scott Gillman and his Italian Tamoil Team rival Guido Cappellini. The pair head into the race, tied on 65 points apiece, although the Italian was the faster of the two racers in the first time trial on Thursday afternoon, only for Gillman to pip him in the second to set up the prospect of a thrilling battle in Sharjah on Friday.
??It was not the best of days today for Jay and Massimo,? confirmed Mohammed Al-Jaidah, Head of Formula racing at the Doha-based Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF). ?They weren?t able to set a fast time in the first time trial and both had problem with their engines in the second one.?
Price?s chances of taking a potential pole position for Friday?s race were ruined by a piston failure in his Baba boat. Team mate Roggiero changed the engine in his Baba after technical problems of his own, but both will need to be on full attack to climb up the leader board during the race.
??Tomorrow is another day and they are both experienced racers and are quite capable of moving up the leader board during the race,?? added Al-Jaidah. ?Today was disappointing, but we will be in good shape for the race.??
Cappellini set the fastest time in the first of the two time trials, clocking a time of 52.39s, as fellow Italian Ivan Brigada and Gillman were his closest rivals. Finland’s Sami Selio was fourth, but Roggiero and Price were down in seventh and 12th places with times of 53.77s and 54.09s respectively.
The crucial second time trails saw Gillman edge to the fastest time of 51.62s. from arch rival Cappellini and Australian David Trask in an XPV Racing boat. Sweden?s Jonas Andersson was fourth, while the UAE?s Thani Al-Qamzi and Finland?s Sami Selio completed the top six. Price and Roggiero were down in 11th and 12th place after their engine problems.
In Thursday morning?s free practice session, Cappellini began where he had left off in Abu Dhabi, by posting the fastest time of 54.14s, with Jonas Andersson a mere 0.47s behind. The Qatar Team?s Roggiero was third in 55.06s and Gillman was tied with Ivan Brigada in 55.70s and fifth place. Price was pleased to be back on the water after the Abu Dhabi accident and posted the 11th fastest lap of 57.19s.
The Grand Prix of Sharjah will bring the curtain down on another season of F1 racing on Friday afternoon. The race will take place over a 2.235km course and gets underway at 15.45 hrs (local time).
Ends
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