MEDIA INFORMATION
2023 UIM F1H2O WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
DRIVERS CARRY OUT FINAL WARM-UP SESSION BEFORE GRAND PRIX OF FRANCE IN MÂCON
Sunday, July 2: Drivers carried out their final warm-up sessions for the Grand Prix of France on the River Saône in Mâcon on Sunday morning. It marked the last opportunity to fine-tune the boat set-up, choose the correct propeller for the race and sort out any niggling problems that had arisen during a dramatic BRM Qualifying session on Saturday afternoon.
The CTIC China Team’s Peter Morin carded the best lap of 34.576sec during his 17-lap stint in Group A, but pole-sitter Shaun Torrente sat out much of the session and only registered three laps. Finland’s Kalle Viippo was the Frenchman’s closest challenger with a run of 34.996sec. After his dramatic somersault on Saturday, Ahmed Al-Fahim managed 23 laps in his repaired Victory hull with a best run of 35.227sec.
Morin’s team-mate Brent Dillard topped the times in the Group B stint. The American ran for 26 laps and posted a best run of 34.178sec to win the session by 0.188 seconds from the Victory Team’s Erik Stark. All 10 drivers took advantage of the warm-up and Ferdinand Zandbergen was the best of the rest with a hot lap of 34.551sec.
The Grand Prix of France fires into life at 15.30hrs with a rolling start replacing the planned pontoon getaway. The race also be Carbon-Neutral with CO2 emissions being offset by a local reforestation programme called Reforest Action.
2023 Grand Prix of France – Warm-up (Sunday):
Group A
1. Peter Morin (FRA) China CTIC Team 34.576sec
2. Kalle Viippo (FIN) Team Sweden 34.996sec
3. Ahmad Al-Fahim (UAE) Victory Team 35.227sec
4. Alberto Comparato (ITA) Comparato F1 35.378sec
5. Sami Seliö (FIN) Sharjah Team 35.475sec
6. Cédric Deguisne (FRA) Maverick Racing 35.536sec
7. Filip Roms (FIN) Mad Croc Gillman Racing 35.745sec
8. Shaun Torrente (USA) Team Abu Dhabi 36.179sec
9. Ben Jelf (GBR) F1 Atlantic Team 36.427sec
10. Bartek Marszalek (POL) Strømøy Racing F1H2O Team 40.648sec
Group B
1. Brent Dillard (USA) China CTIC Team 34.178sec
2. Erik Stark (SWE) Victory Team 34.366sec
3. Ferdinand Zandbergen (NLD) Sharjah Team 34.551sec
4. Jonas Andersson (SWE) Team Sweden 34.635sec
5. Marit Strømøy (NOR) Strømøy Racing F1H2O Team 34.780sec
6. Grant Trask (AUS) Mad Croc Gillman Racing 35.093sec
7. Thani Al-Qamzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi 35.399sec
8. Brock Cohen (AUS) Comparato F1 35.723sec
9. Duarte Benavente (POR) F1 Atlantic Team 35.788sec
10. Alexandre Bourgeot (FRA) Maverick Racing 36.404sec
Ends