Fujairah: Rashid Al Tayer and Faleh Al Mansouri mastered the new Emaar Pole Position format to ensure Abu Dhabi Team 5 starts in pole position for Friday’s Fujairah GP – the opening round of the 2016 UIM XCAT World Series.
The duo left it to their last lap in the first qualifying session to avoid finishing as one of the bottom five teams, who were knocked out of contention, with the top nine progressing to session two.
They also just made it through the 10-minute second session of qualifying with the fourth fastest time – with only four boats progressing to the final round. But a penalty imposed on the quickest two boats for jumping the green flag in the final session, which consisted of just one timed lap, worked in the Abu Dhabi Team’s favour.
The defending Fujairah GP champions will start in first with the Team Australia boat of Brett Luhrmann and Pal Virik Nilsen, who were quickest in both first and second sessions, starting in second spot with world champions Victory Team, consisting of Aref Al Zaf’ein and Nader Bin Hindi, third and T-Bone Station, Giovanni Carpitella and Marco Pennesi, in fourth.
“We had good conditions for the race today,” said Al Tayer afterwards.
“We started with good speed and we pushed hard. Our strategy was to keep the surprise for the last lap in the first session because good players don’t show all their cards from the start,” Al Mansouri added.
“It was a very successful strategy. Now we are on the top and what is better than that?” he said.
As for Friday’s race, Al Tayer said: “Fujairah always has different conditions and usually the afternoon has rough water so we must expect anything but our plan is always to drive fast and furious.”
XCAT action will continue from 4pm at the Fujairah International Marine Club.
