Team Abu Dhabi’s Thani Al Qamzi and Ahmed Al Hameli finished fourth and seventh in the inaugural Grand Prix of Brazil respectively, round one of the UIM F1H2O World Championship.
Finland’s Sami Selio led from start to finish to claim a stunning victory for the Mad Croc Team. It was the Finn’s 11th career F1 H20 GP victory and he managed to finish clear of the Qatar Team boats of Shaun Torrente and Alex Carella, despite two yellow flag incidents.
Frenchman Phillipe Chiappe was fifth and Italian Francisco Cantando was sixth.
“It is a great feeling to be back in a racing environment and competing at the highest level,” said Al Hameli, who had been running as high as second before the race was yellow flagged on the opening lap.
“We are so happy to have Ahmed back with us in the team,” said team manager Scott Gillman. “He showed in practice and qualifying that he has lost none of his pace and it bodes well for an exciting season.”
Mohammed Al Mehairbi qualified fourth among six runners for the second of the UIM F-4S races for the Eurofin Trophy and reached the chequered flag in fourth position behind pole and race winner Niklas Friberg of Sweden, Germany’s Mike Szymura and Qatar’s Khalid Abdullah Al Kuwari.
Norwegian Eirik Danielsen was fifth. Al Hameli and Al Qamzi began the 32-lap race from fifth and eighth positions, with the latter climbing a place when Franciso Cantando was forced to start at the rear of the field after his engine problems in qualifying.
Selio made a flying start and Al Hameli managed to pass both the Qatar boats and snatch second position, but his hard work was undone when a yellow flag was raised after an incident involving Xiong Ziwei at the first turn. Al Hameli returned to fifth position and the race restarted on lap four.
Selio maintained his lead from a challenging Torrente and the Team Abu Dhabi duo retained fifth and eighth positions through lap five.
Al Qamzi had climbed to seventh by the eighth lap, but Al Hameli began to come under pressure from his team-mate and Phillipe Chiappe for fifth position after Al Qamzi had passed the Frenchman to take sixth. Al Qamzi also passed his team-mate on lap 13 to seize fifth place.
The Team Abu Dhabi duo were fourth and sixth through halfway, as Selio retained a slender lead from Torrente, and Carella and Al Qamzi passed Andersson.
When the Swede slipped out of contention, Al Hameli also climbed to fifth place. Selio and Torrente continued to swap fractions of a second in a thrilling fight at the front of the field and Al Qamzi retained fourth.
Al Hameli slipped behind Chiappe and Cantando into seventh position, but the yellow flag was raised with three laps to run when Filip Roms flipped his boat. There was only time to restart the race for one lap and Selio hung on to secure the win.
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