Pharaon wins as tragedy strikes

Italy's Guido Cappellini won his seventh UIM World Championship for Formula One Powerboats as tragedy struck the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix yesterday.

Italian pilot Vincenzo Polli, the nephew of Italian textile magnate and Class One Offshore champion Eduardo Polli, was killed following an unfortunate accident with another boat that forced the organisers to call off the race after 23 of 60 scheduled laps.

Saudi Arabia's Laith Pharaon was declared the winner. Cappellini retired on the 17th lap, protesting that the circuit was not safe as the sun's reflection prevented the drivers from having a clear vision of the course.

Some of the other drivers, seemingly unaware of Polli's accident, were unhappy when the organisers called off the race.

American Scott Gillman, the captain of the UAE F1 Team, said: "Everyone has been racing on the same track for the past eleven years and none of them claimed that the sun was hindering their vision or the circuit was dangerous. Why this time?"

Italian Francesco Cantando also felt that the conditions were perfect and there was no threat to the safety of the pilots.

"Abu Dhabi has always been one of my favourite sites for the past six years. The organisation is always excellent and they have always been keen to secure maximum safety procedures," he said.