Lahti, Finland: Team Abu Dhabi trainer Scott Gillman's prayers for some much-needed luck went unanswered when Thani Al Qamzi crashed while attempting to catch up with Guido Cappellini and Jay Price with four of the 55 laps to go in yesterday's UIM F1 World Championship's Grand Prix of Lahti.
Though Ahmad Al Hameli did earn Team Abu Dhabi a podium finish with a third place behind Cappellini and Price, the UAE team's mood was dampened by Al Qamzi's third successive exit in the three rounds of the 2008 UIM F1 World Championship so far.
Good move
Starting in third place behind Capellini and teammate Al Hameli, Al Qamzi made his intentions known early in the 55-lap race as he moved into second place.
When the yellow flag halted the race with 22 laps to go, Qamzi was about 1.70 seconds behind the 9-time world champion with Al Hameli in third place.
But Qatar Team's Jay Price, who finished second in Qatar and first in Portugal, made a fantastic move from 18th place at the start and first overtook Al Hamli with 19 laps to go and then in the very next lap, moved ahead of Al Qamzi.
Cappellini stayed ahead even as Price and Al Qamzi stayed within striking distance. Al Qamzi cut the gap from seven seconds to 3.3 secs with six laps to go.
Al Qamzi, who recorded his fasted lap in the 48th pushed harder but in the 51st lap his boat flipped and once again the Abu Dhabi star had to feel the ice-cold waters of Lake Vesijarvi and the run of bad luck as he was hit by engine trouble in both Qatar and Portugal before this Finnish event.
Results
GP of Finland (55 laps):
1. Guido Cappellini-(Italy) -Tamoil FI- (Time 1hr 11m 04 secs)
2. Jay Price-(USA)-Qatar Team (1:12.04)
3. Ahmad Al Hameli-(UAE) - Team Abu Dhabi (1:13.70)
