Grand Prix of Qatar on Doha Bay postponed due to bad weather

Sport360 staff 14:01 14/03/2015
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • New pairing: Alex Carella (l) and David Del Pin.

    Team Abu Dhabi’s Alex Carella and David Del Pin will have to wait until today to take part in the time trials to qualify for this afternoon’s Grand Prix of Qatar on Doha Bay.

    – Team Abu Dhabi sign world champion powerboat star Alex Carella
    – Italian Rachele Bruni wins 10km in Abu Dhabi

    Blustery conditions and huge waves yesterday prompted race officials to postpone the qualifying. 

    Sixteen boats will line up at the start of the opening round of the 2015 UIM F1 H2O World Championship and Del Pin, from Mariano Lagunare in Italy, replaced Team Abu Dhabi star Thani Al Qamzi at the last minute after the Emirati withdrew for personal reasons. 

    “It’s obviously disappointing not to be able to qualify and spend more time at race speed in the boat, but we had a good chance to drive the boat in the morning’s free practice and I was quite happy with my performance,” said three-time world champion Carella. 

    The two Italians settled in quickly with their new team and both Carella and Del Pin posted competitive times in the delayed practice session.

    Team Qatar’s Shaun Torrente posted the quickest lap of the session with a time of 46.77 seconds.

    Carella and Del Pin posted times of 48.78 seconds and 49.35 seconds and were classified in second and third. 

    Rashed Al Remeithi replaced Rashed Al Qemzi for Team Abu Dhabi’s F-4S Trophy campaign, but race officials cancelled both the F-4S time trials and the opening race because of the wind. 

    Qatar Team’s Mohammed Al Obaidly had been quickest in practice that was cut short when Italian rookie Elisa Leidi flipped her boat.

    Recommended