Sharjah: Team Sweden’s Jonas Andersson valiantly held off two former champions only to be denied a maiden world title on the very final lap of the Grand Prix of Sharjah - the last round on the 2019 UIM F1H2O World Championship, on Saturday.
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After dominating with his superior pace and keeping former three-time world champion Philippe Chiappe and defending champion Shaun Torrente at bay, Andersson crossed the line with a win on the most disappointing note after Chiappe limped out on the very final lap handing over the world crown to Torrente on a superior second place record.
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Both drivers ended the five-round championship with an identical 79 points following two wins apiece. But Torrente was given the world crown due to his better record of two second places compared to one second place finish from Andersson.
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“It’s always nice to win a race, but to lose a world championship after having the same number of points is simply ridiculous. I am very disappointed at the moment as we had the faster boat all along and yet the second fastest gets to be the world champion,” Andersson rued.
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“But then, this is racing. Had Philippe [Chiappe] just done those final few yards then I would have been a world champion. I was a mere seconds away from a first in my career,” the 45-year-old added.
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Andersson was off to a quick start on the 2.057-km Khalid Lagoon circuit battling against three-time world champion Chiappe and defending champion Torrente in an attempt to mark a memorable 98th race. Starting from pole position, the 45-year-old Swede was already 5.3 seconds clear from Chiappe as the Team Abu Dhabi duo of Torrente and Al Qamzi displaced Victory Team’s Erik Stark, who ultimately limped out of the race by the fourth lap with engine trouble.
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Former four-time world champion Alex Carella, who last won in Sharjah in 2017, brought out the yellow flag for the first time after the Italian got his engine wrecked on the seventh lap. After the re-start on the 10th lap, the pole sitter from Team Sweden managed to hold on to his top spot with a four-second difference from challengers Chiappe and Torrente.
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There was a second yellow flag on the 14th lap and this time it was Blaze Performance pair of Francesco Cantando and Greg Foster succumbing to the tricky conditions of Khalid Lagoon. Three laps later, the race re-started and Andersson continued with his blistering run in front holding off Chiappe and Torrente.
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The positions remained unchanged till the final run of the 45-lap race when Chiappe suddenly went out leaving Torrente in second and a second world crown. “The trim locked down and I just couldn’t handle the boat. I am sad for myself and for my team, but I am even more sad for Jonas as this would have been and could have been his first world crown,” the Frenchman said.
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Shaikh Mohammed bin Sultan bin Khalifah Al Nahyan, Vice President, Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club, hands over the trophy to Shaun Torrente, winner of World Champion.
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Torrente’s celebrations included taking a swim in the lagoon along with a crew member, and when he surfaced the American was estactic. “I gave 150 per cent out there, and in the end I got lucky. I feel for Jonas as he was like 40 seconds away from being a world champion,” Torrente said.
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Shaun Torrente and Andersson. “I am eternally grateful to Guido [Capellini] and Team Abu Dhabi. They never stopped believing in me, nor did they give up. They worked tirelessly to have an engine and a boat that could win a world title yet again,” he added.
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Standings at the end of the Grand Prix of Sharjah, the final round on the 2019 UIM F1H2O World Championship that concluded in Sharjah, on Saturday: 1. Shaun Torrente (USA/Team Abu Dhabi) 79pts; 2. Jonas Andersson (Sweden/Team Sweden) 79; 3. Marit Stromoy (Norway/Emirates Racing Team) 37; 4. Thani Al Qamzi (UAE/Team Abu Dhabi) 36; 5. Bartek Marszalek (Poland/Emirates Racing Team) 26; 6. Alex Carella (Italy/Maverick F1 Team) 25; 7. Peter Morin (France/CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team) 23; 8. Philippe Chiappe (France/CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team) 20.
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