Dubai: Novices to the F1 scene, the Victory Team set-up will be gunning for an outright assault on the world crown as they start the season opener of the 2016 F1H2O UIM World Championship at the Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) this weekend.
Eighteen drivers representing 11 nations will line-up on the starting grid at DIMC Mina Seyahi for the opening round of the 2016 F1H2O UIM World Championship from March 2-4. Four of the teams — Victory Team, Team EMIC, Emirates Racing and Team Abu Dhabi — may have the edge due to their knowledge and experience of local conditions.
The season’s first race was officially announced by Eisa Bin Kharbash, Chairman, Water Sports Committee, DIMC; Mohammad Hareb, CEO, DIMC; Khalid Bin Dasmal, DIMC member, race organiser Ali Bin Hindi and Lavinia Sanzovo Cavallero, Vice- President, H2O Racing, the race promoters.
Faced with a wide field of challengers, with former world champions in Class One and X-Cats World Series, Victory Team are targeting the world crown in their first full debut year.
Led by American Shaun Torrente — who finished runner-up in the title race in 2013 and third overall in the last two seasons — Victory Team will have the highly-experienced Nader Bin Hindi in the second boat for all races this season. “We want the world championship. There is nothing like debut here as both of us have the experience, whether collective or individual, to go all out and achieve our goal,” Torrente told Gulf News.
Last year, Victory Team entered the F1 fray from the French GP in June. Racing in a Baba-built boat, success was moderate with Torrente finishing in third place in the drivers’ standings. “We have no excuse this year. Both the boats are brand new, built and operated by Victory Team. We have done extensive testing during the past two months and the best thing we have experienced is the tremendous balance in the new boats,” Torrente related.
“We have worked towards something great and we hope to put the finishing touches to this by the end of this season,” he smiled.
However, the Victory Team charge will face the challenge from two-time defending world champion Philippe Chiappe from the CTIC F1 China Team. “Perhaps having a race early in March may go against us due to the few weeks of pre-season preparations that we’ve missed out on. But a third world title is a huge incentive for me to keep my focus,” Chiappe said.
“This is the first-ever race we are having in Dubai and winning the first one will also be something very special for me and the team,” he added.
A former world champion in the X-Cats and Class One powerboating categories, Bin Hindi was hopeful of a debut without much pressure. “This is a totally different learning curve for me as a driver,” he said.
“F1 racing is completely different from Class One or the X-Cats. Here you are alone with the boat. You’ve got to be very sensitive to the needs of the boat. You need a lot of feelings and I am sure we can achieve our objectives as a team by the end of the season,” Bin Hindi added.
Schedule
March 2: (3-5pm) Free Practice
March 3: (10.45–11.45am) Free Practice; (3.30-4.30pm) F1 Qualifying.
March 4: (10.45-11.45am) Free Practice; (3.15pm) F1 Parade Lap; (3.30-4.30pm) F1 Grand Prix of Dubai; (4.45pm) Awards Ceremony.
