Cappellini wins F1 pole position

Italy's Guido Cappellini will have no opposition for the Pole Position crown as he sits pretty at the top even before the start of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Breakwaters today.

Cappellini, who has 151 points to his name even before the start of the 11th and final round of the UIM F1 series in Abu Dhabi this weekend, is a clear 29 points adrift of second-placed Fabio Comparato, who has 122 points.

Cappellini has already secured the world title for drivers' standings for a record seventh time for a second successive year. This was made possible after the Italian finished on top of the podium place in the last two rounds in Sharjah and Ireland.

Known never to be satisfied with success, Cappellini is expected to go into the race today to score yet another victory, in a place he considers as his home having been crowned world champion six already.

Comparato, who took off from being in the shadows of Cappellini for many years, is making a name for himself after he secured the second spot in Pole Position with 122 points.

Further adrift in third position and 42 points behind is American Scott Gillman of the UAE F1 Team.

Gillman has been trying to recover from one of the most disappointing seasons in his colourful career after he started the season with a win in Protimao (Portugal).

However, as the season progressed, Gillman's results nose-dived and he failed to add to his tally in the last two rounds.

Gillman's understudy and teammate Awadh Ghamran Al Qubaisi was suspended by his team in the middle of the season for being over-weight, while his replacement Thani Al Qamzy still remains inexperienced despite some brave performances.

Al Qamzy and Majid Al Mansouri, the new addition to the team, are expected to do better next year with more training during the early months of 2003.

Gillman needs to finish within the fastest six in the official tryouts to cement his third place in the pole position.

Breathing down his neck is Saudi Arabian Laith Pharaon in fourth with 64 points, followed by Italian Francesco Cantando with 59 points and countryman Massimo Roggiero with 49.

Frenchman Philippe Dessertenne (28), American Mike Seebold (16), Italian Ivan Torta (15), Briton Andy Elliott (10), Potuguese Duarte Benavente (9), UAE's Al Qamzy and Finn Jari Honkala with five points each are further down the standings.

The official first Time Trials will start at 1 pm and the second one will be at 3 pm, while the Time Trials for the fastest six boats will be held at 4.30 pm today.