Abu Dhabi: A brilliant performance by Thani Atiq Al Qamzi, the Team Abu Dhabi driver in the 2012 UIM Formula One World Powerboat Championships, saved the season for the founders and owners of the team, Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club.
Al Qamzi compensated for the absence of his sick colleague Ahmad Al Hamli, whose illness prevented him from continuing the races despite the fact that he was leading the standings and was on his way to winning his first UIM World Championship title.
Al Qamzi finished second in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and first in the Sharjah GP recently, which helped Team Abu Dhabi win the team world championship. Individually, Al Qamzi ended his season on the podium, taking third place in both the drivers’ and poles’ competitions.
Gulf News met up with Salem Al Rumaithi, the Assistant General Manager of the ADIMSC and the Manager of Team Abu Dhabi, to discuss the season, the future of the team and the replacement of Al Hamli.
How do you rate the performance of the team and the drivers this year?
“We are satisfied, but not totally happy. Before Ahmad [Al Hamli] retired from the races because of his unfortunate illness, we were leading the standings and on our way to winning both titles, the drivers’ and team events, but fate intervened and we have to accept that. We are thankful to Thani [Al Qamzi] for his strong performances in the last two races, which earned us the teams’ title, and two third places in the World Championship in addition to a first place and second in the UAE’s two GPs.
“Also, we took the opportunity to provide the chance for two substitute drivers, Rashid Al Tayer and Majid Al Mansouri, to gain experience of racing to prepare them for next season.”
Who will replace Al Hamli next year?
“We have not decided yet, but we have our first line of substitutes, which includes Al Tayer and Al Mansouri. One of them is sure to replace Al Hamli, but we also have our second line of substitutes, which includes some young but promising drivers like Mohammad Al Muhairbi, Rashid Al Qamzi and Rashid Al Rumaithi, my son, who are registering good results in F4 races. It is the club’s plan to prepare them for the future to enter the F1 circuit according to the directions of Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Adviser to the UAE President and President of the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club.”
People have noticed that former world champion, Scott Gillman, has taken part in some of the races. Is he returning to the club?
“No, Scott was mainly trying new engines we plan to use in the future. They are four-stroke engines, which are environmentally friendly. It is well known that Scott was advised by doctors not to race; that was why he was not producing his usual brilliant performances and was not driving flat out.
“We depend upon Scott to prepare and train our drivers using his vast experience in the field, and he has really achieved great success in this regard as the performances of his two understudies, Al Hamli and Al Qamzi, proved this year.”
The ADIMSC is putting the emphasis on the F1 team. What about the other teams?
“That is not true. We are treating all the drivers of all our teams equally. We have our Offshore Class I Team featuring Al Tayer and Al Mansouri, who lie second behind Victory Team in the World Offshore Championship. We also have a F4 team, which is regarded as the school of preparing future F1 drivers, and this year we also formed a new jet-ski team, which is doing great. All our drivers are professional and are employees of the club.
“We have no intention to start any other non-motorised or traditional teams like rowing or sailing because there are other clubs which focus on these sports.
“I would like to express our thanks to Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Adviser to the UAE President and President of the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club, the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and all our sponsors for their support which helped to achieve what we did this year. We are hoping to achieve more victories in the new year.”
