Dubai
Team Abu Dhabi could well end up with another world crown if Alex Carella wins the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix — the penultimate round of the 2017 UIM F1 H2O World Championship on Friday.
World Champion on three previous occasions (2011, 2012 and 2013), the Italian driver has landed in Abu Dhabi with a 16-point lead in the overall drivers’ championship standings. With 20 points each on offer for the winner in the next two races, an outright win for Carella will be enough to give him the world crown with a round to spare in Sharjah.
That would amount for a second world crown to add alongside the UIM F2 World Championship won by Rashid Al Qamzi earlier this season. A strong field of 21 drivers from 13 countries will line up at the start of the main F1 H2O race this weekend with Sweden’s Erik Edin and England’s Matthew Palfreyman being the new faces for Team Sweden and Emirates Racing Team, respectively.
Carella is at the top of the drivers’ standings with 58 points after four rounds. Three-time defending champion Philippe Chiappe of the CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team opened with a win at the Portugal Grand Prix in Algarve leaving Carella in fourth. The Italian made amends at the France Grand Prix in Evian sweeping ahead of Sami Selio and the Victory Team duo of Shaun Torrente and Ahmad Al Hameli.
Carella took fourth in the third round in Harbin while finishing behind race winner Erik Stark, Thani Al Qamzi and Al Hameli, but a second race win in Liuzhou on October 1 assured the Team Abu Dhabi’s Italian driver top spot and a comfortable cushion at the top of the standings.
Team Sweden’s Stark is in second with 42 points, while Frenchman Chiappe is within striking distance in third with 39 points. Mad Croc Baba Racing’s Finnish driver Sami Selio and Victory Team’s Ahmad Al Hameli are tied for fourth with 30 points apiece. Team Abu Dhabi’s Al Qamzi is fifth with 25 points and Victory Team’s second driver Shaun Torrente from the US is in seventh with 19 points.
“This is the big one and a really important race for me and the whole team. The outcome is in my hands and I would love to secure the title here in Abu Dhabi. It would be fantastic for the whole team. I am focused, prepared and looking forward to the weekend,” Carella said as he eyed 15th F1 win on his 50th career start.
The on-water action kicks off with an extra free practice from 3pm on Wednesday followed by F1 practice and F4 timed trials on Thursday morning. The first of the weekend’s two F4 races will start at 2pm and the crucial BRM F1 qualifying will follow from 3.30pm. Further practice and F4 timed trials are permitted on Friday morning, before the F4 race two gets under way at 2pm and the Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi gets the green light at the breakwater from 3.30pm.
STANDINGS
2017 UIM F1 H2O World Championship — positions after Round Four: 1. Alex Carella (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi (58pts); 2. Erik Stark (Sweden) Team Sweden (42); 3. Philippe Chiappe (France) CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team (39); 4. Sami Selio (Finland) Mad Croc Baba Racing (30); 4. Ahmad Al Hameli (UAE) Victory Team (30); 6. Thani Al Qamzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi (25); 7. Shaun Torrente (USA) Victory Team (19); 8. Duarte Benavente (Portugal) F1 Atlantic Team (14); 8. Bartek Marszalak (Poland) Blaze Performance Team (14); 10. Jonas Andersson (Sweden) Team Sweden (12).
2017 UIM F1 H2O Pole Position Trophy: 1. Alex Carella (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi (47pts); 1. Erik Stark (Sweden) Team Sweden (47); 3. Ahmad Al Hameli (UAE) Victory Team (44); 4. Philippe Chiappe (France) CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team (38); 5. Shaun Torrente (USA) Victory Team (29); 6. Thani Al Qamzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi (24); 7. Sami Selio (Finland) Mad Croc Baba Racing (17); 8. Marit Stromoy (Norway) EMIC Racing Team (9); 9. Grant Trask (Australia) F1 Atlantic Team (7); 10. Duarte Benavente (Portugal) F1 Atlantic Team (5); 10. Jonas Andersson (Sweden) Team Sweden (5).
2017 UIM F4-S Trophy: 1. Mansour Al Mansouri (UAE) Victory Team (60pts); 2. Jeremy Brisset (France) F1 Atlantic Team (58); 2. Mohammad Al Muhairbi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi (58); 2. Louise Vella (Australia) Team Sweden (58); 5. Kalle Viippo (Finland) Mad Croc Baba Racing (29); 5. Corentin Guesnel (France) Maverick F1 (29); 7. Bingchen Wu (China) CTIC F1 China Team (26); 8. Mohammad Al Yamahi (UAE) Victory Team (16); 9. Sebastien Haugaard (Sweden) Team Sweden (15); 10. Damon Cohen (Australia) Blaze Performance (8).
