2008 UIM F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Grand Prix of Lahti – June 7th-8th, round 3 of 9
For immediate release
Monday, June 2nd, 2008
QATAR’S PRICE TAKES F1 WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD TO FINLAND
Qatar’s Al-Khulaifi and Al-Fayyad set for Lahti race
DOHA (Qatar): The Qatar Team heads to Lahti in Finland for the third round of the UIM F1 World Championship this weekend and team driver Jay Price arrives at the scenic Lake Vesijärvi course defending a stunning 15-point lead in the championship. The Grand Prix of Lahti takes place on Sunday, June 8th.
Price finished second overall in his home race in Doha back in March and collected his first ever F1 Grand Prix victory in Portugal last month. He will again team up with Qatari drivers Yousef Al-Khulaifi and Ahmed Al-Fayyad in Finland, with the two Qatari rookies looking forward to gaining more race experience at the home venue of the defending UIM F1 World Champion Sami Selio. The team is run under the auspices of the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF) and the presidency of His Excellency Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani.
"Yousef and Ahmed have just got back from Abu Dhabi, where they took part in four national races just to make sure that they now fulfil all the necessary UIM licence criteria," said Qatar’s F1 team manager Mohammed Al-Ali. "They are looking forward to Finland and trying to gain as much experience as possible. Hopefully they will be able to take part in all the practice sessions, time trails and the race."
Price will again use his new Mercury-engined DAC boat and Al-Ali insists that a top three finish is the priority for the team’s lead driver. "We need to make sure that Jay stays up there at the top of the points’ standings after our good start to the season. A top three finish would be ideal. Yousef will drive last year’s BaBa and Ahmad has a rented DAC, while the new boat is being built."
Price faces stiff competition on the six-pin course on Lahti’s Lake Vesijärvi, which is situated a mere one hour’s drive from Helsinki and is known as the sport’s capital of Finland.
Sweden’s Jonas Andersson won the first race of the season and is Price’s closest challenger at this early stage in the season, although Selio, Italian Guido Cappellini and the Team Abu Dhabi duo of Thani Al-Qamzi and Ahmed Al-Hameli will be fired up and pushing for podium finishes in Finland. The Qatar Team will also be defending a 13-point lead in the UIM F1 Teams’ Championship.
The weekend’s activities get underway with technical scrutineering and team registration on Friday, before drivers are permitted the first free one-hour practice session from 10.00 hrs on Saturday (June 7th) morning. The first time trials begin at 13.00 hrs, with the all-important second time trial getting underway at 14.45 hrs. The six-boat shoot out to determine pole position for Sunday’s race begins at 16.45 hrs.
Race day (Sunday) fires into life with a second free practice session from 10.00 hrs and the parade lap for the Grand Prix starts at 15.00 hrs, before the actual Grand Prix of Lahti gets underway at 15.15 hrs.
2008 UIM F1 World Championship – Drivers (positions after round 2 of 9):
1. Jay Price (QA) Qatar Team 35 pts
2. Jonas Andersson (S) F1 Team Sweden 20 pts
3. Ahmad Al-Hameli (UAE) F1 Team Abu Dhabi 15 pts
4. Sami Selio (FIN) Woodstock Red Devil Racing 12 pts
4. David Trask (AUS) Trask Brothers Racing 12 pts
4. Francesco Cantando (I) Singha Team 12 pts
7. Duarte Benevente (P) F1 Atlantic Team 9 pts
8. Guido Cappellini (I) Tamoil F1 Team 7 pts
8. Fabio Comparato (I) 800 Doctor 7 pts. etc
2008 UIM F1 World Championship – Pole Position (positions after round 2 of 9):
1. Jonas Andersson (S) F1 Team Sweden 32 pts
2=. Thani Al-Qamzi (UAE) F1 Team Abu Dhabi 24 pts
2=. Guido Cappellini (I) Tamoil F1 24 pts
4. Ahmad Al-Hameli (UAE) F1 Team Abu Dhabi 20 pts
5. Jay Price (QA) Qatar Team 14 pts
6. Sami Selio (FIN) Woodstock Red Devil Racing 12 pts
7=. Massimo Roggiero (I) Woodstock Red Devil Racing 5 pts
7=. David Trask (AUS) Trask Brothers Racing 5 pts
2008 UIM F1 World Championship – Teams (positions after round 2 of 9):
1. Qatar Team 35 pts
2. F1 Team Sweden 22 pts
3. F1 Team Abu Dhabi 15 pts
4. Trask Brothers Racing 14 pts
4. F1 Atlantic Team 14 pts
6. Woodstock Red Devil Racing 13 pts
7. Singha Team 12 pts
8. Tamoil F1 10 pts
9. China CTIC Team 9 pts
10. Doctor 800 7 pts
Ends
For further information:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Mobile: + 44 7831 123153, E-mail: ndppublicity@compuserve.com. www.ndp-publicity.com (press releases).