Teams get ready for crucial pole

The world's best F1 powerboat teams arrived in Marina Bay, Qatar, yesterday to prepare for the fourth round of the world championship and the crucial pole position shoot-out.

This is the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix and everyone will be watching eight-time world champion Guido Cappellini, who is looking to create history by taking a ninth title, and the Emirates team led by Scott Gillman. Cappellini leads the championship by 17.5 points, but the outcome is far from settled.

Gillman is a three-time world champion and has led all three races this season in Portugal, Italy and Singapore but he only has a second position in Portugal to show for his efforts. "I have the strongest running boat out there right now but we've just had bad luck," said Gillman.

"We have a great set up with Dubai Holding, the Emirates team, Shaikh Sultan as well as the Abu Dhabi [Marine] club helping us tremendously. So it's been frustrating and it's important for me to try to win this race."

Gillman and Cappellini didn't finish the last race in Singapore following a spectacular crash that left Gillman sixth in the championship and Cappellini in hospital. "I've been around for 20 years … and there's always pressure on me but I think the pressure is more what I put on myself because I want to win," said Gillman. "All it takes is for Guido to have one problem in a race and if we can win the last three races I can still win the championship, so I haven't given up on it yet."

While Gillman is a distinct threat to Cappellini, Finland's Sami Selio is the Italian's closest challenger in the points standings and has a new boat for this race.