2007 UIM F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Grand Prix of Qatar 2, Doha – November 26th-27th, round 6 of 8
For immediate release
Sunday, November 25th, 2007
QATAR TEAM CONFIDENT OF BETTER LUCK
IN SECOND QATAR F1 RACE MEETING IN DOHA
Cappellini set to defend slender five-point championship lead
In-form Thani Al-Qamzi bids for second successive Doha win
DOHA (Qatar): There will be no respite in the punishing schedule for teams taking part in the 2007 UIM F1 World Championship, because qualifying for the second of the back-to-back Qatar races will get underway on Monday afternoon in Doha Bay, just 48 hours after the thrilling opening race on Saturday.
The tight time schedule for the 4th Grand Prix of Qatar also means that boats that sustained damage in the first race needed to be repaired on Sunday in the pit area, near to the Balhambar restaurant that has been acting as the catering base for the F1 circuit over recent days.
The event is again being organised by Mohammed Al-Jaidah and his team at the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF), under the presidency of His Excellency Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani.
The Qatar Team, quite literally, experienced a weekend of ultimate highs and lows. The opening race meeting began on the wrong footing, when Leo Bonelli was sidelined with hull damage five minutes into the first practice session and, then, Jay Price survived that spectacular flying accident in the shoot-out, only to go on and hold second place in the first race until electrical problems intervened.
Italian Bonelli will make a welcome return to the race scene on Monday after missing out on the first race because of the accident damage. “I’m grateful to the hard work of the team that I have been given the chance to take part in the second race in Doha,” admitted Bonelli. “Last Friday was so frustrating. I had the accident after only five minutes of the first practice and that was the end of the weekend. I’ve got a second chance now to race in Doha and I am sure that I can make the top six.”
Price, on the other hand, proved that he has the pace and determination to be a winner of Tuesday’s crucial second race in Doha Bay. “We gave Guido (Cappellini) and Thani (Al-Qamzi) a real run for their money on Sunday. We just need a little luck and we will be up there again,” said Price, who slipped to sixth in the championship after the first race.
While the Qatar Team look to get back on track before the race calendar heads to Abu Dhabi and Sharjah for the final two rounds in December, Guido Cappellini starts the race build-up on Monday keen to defend a five-point lead in the World Championship.
The Italian’s second place in Qatar’s first race means that he leap-frogged Finland’s former series leader Sami Selio, although both drivers will be watching the in-form Thani Al-Qamzi. The Emirati is benefiting from advice from American team mate Scott Gillman and has already taken crucial wins this season to move into the title hunt.
Event officials are expecting a full line-up of 24 boats to begin their race preparations on Monday morning. Monday features a near carbon copy of Friday’s timetable with teams permitted to run in a one-hour practice session on the race course from 10.30hrs.
The first of the important time trials begins at 13.00hrs, with the second trials, starting at 14.45hrs, set to determine the final line-up for the six-boat shoot-out at 16.00hrs. The second 2007 Grand Prix of Qatar will take place on Tuesday afternoon.
Timetable of events for Grand Prix of Qatar 2
Monday, November 26th
10.30-11.30 Free practice on race course
13.00-13.45 First time trials
14.45-15.30 Second time trials
16.00-16.30 F1 Powerboat Shoot-out – Pole Position
2007 UIM F1 Pole Position Championship – positions after round 5 of 8:
1. Guido Cappellini (I) Tamoil F1 69 pts
2. Thani Al-Qamzi (UAE) Emirates F1 Team 68 pts
3. Sami Selio (FIN) F1 Team Energy 48 pts
4. Scott Gillman (USA) Emirates F1 Team 40 pts
5. David Trask (AUS) XPV Racing 29 pts
6. Jay Price (USA) Qatar Team 24 pts
7. Jonas Andersson (S) F1 Team Sweden 21 pts
8. Ivan Brigada (I) Tamoil F1 19 pts
9. Phillipe Dessertenne (F) CTIC Charente Maritime 15 pts
10. Stanislav Kourtenovsky (RUS) F1 Team Energy 7 pts
2007 UIM F1 World Championship – positions after round 5 of 8:
1. Guido Cappellini (I) Tamoil F1 65 pts
2. Sami Selio (FIN) F1 Team Energy 60 pts
3. Thani Al-Qamzi (UAE) Emirates F1 Team 55 pts
4. Scott Gillman (USA) Emirates F1 Team 35 pts
5. Pierre Lundin (S) Comparato Racing 26 pts
6. Jay Price (USA) Qatar Team 21 pts
7. Phillipe Chiappe (F) Atlantic Team 19 pts
8. Phillipe Dessertenne (F) CTIC Charente Maritime 15 pts
9. David Trask (AUS) XPV Racing 14 pts
10. Fabrizio Bocca (I) Rainbow Team 13 pts
15 Leo Bonelli (I) Qatar Team 7 pts
2007 Teams’ Championship – positions after round 5 of 8:
1. Emirates F1 Team 90 pts
2. Tamoil F1 Team 75 pts
3. F1 Team Energy 65 pts
4. Qatar Team 28 pts
5. Atlantic Team 26 pts
6. Comparato Racing 26 pts, etc
Ends
For further information:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Mobile: + 44 7831 123153, E-mail: ndppublicity@compuserve.com. www.ndp-publicity.com (press releases).