Team Abu Dhabi’s Alex Carella produced a sensational drive, leading from start to finish to win the 18th Grand Prix of Sharjah and a fourth UIM F1H2O World Championship title.
CTIC Shenzhen China Team’s Philippe Chiappe never recovered from a poor start from fifth on the pontoon. The three-time champion fought back from as low as eighth in a largely processional race on Khaled Lagoon to finish third and second in the championship.
Victory Team’s Ahmed Al-Hameli made a superb start and held second for much of the race until technical trouble struck, letting Team Sweden’s Jonas Andersson take second. Thani and Rashed Al-Qemzi drove solidly to finish third and ninth, young Rashed scoring his first World Championship points. Poland’s Bartek Marszalek and Chiappe’s team-mate Peter Morin completed the top six. Some minutes after the podium, however, Thani received a one-lap penalty for jumping the start, dropping to sixth and fourth in the championship.
Team Abu Dhabi also won the UIM F1H2O Teams’ Championship for the first time since 2015, adding to Thursday’s UIM Pole Position Trophy and the UIM F2 World Championship won by Rashed Al-Qemzi in Portugal in October. The last drivers’ title for the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC) was won by Scott Gillman in 2006, whom Carella now joins in the Hall of Fame with four world titles.
It is a very special feeling. I fight this weekend. I wanted to come out with everything. The work of yesterday paid today and it gave me a perfect place to start. When I heard that Philippe was in eight position I knew I did not want to push too much. I was in perfect control of the race. I was just hoping that nothing would happen.
Alex Carella
F4-S Trophy
Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashed Al-Romaithi and Mohammed Al-Mehairbi finished the final F4-S race eighth and ninth, and third overall was enough for Victory Team’s Mansoor Al-Mansoori to beat France’s Jeremy Brisset to the title. Hungarian veteran Rudolf Mihaldinecz led from start to finish to beat young Frenchman Tom Chiappe to the overall Grand Prix win and race two. Al-Mehairbi was given a one-lap penalty for not holding his line and lost fourth, but secured third in the final standings.
Reaction
We devote this fantastic victory for Team Abu Dhabi to His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates, to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, UAE Vice-President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai and to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Khalifa Al-Nahyan
We also dedicate this success to the Supreme Council members, Rulers of the Emirates, Crown Prince, Ruler’s Deputies and the people of the UAE. It is a terrific achievement to win the world title after 11 years and marks an historic day of celebration for the team in Sharjah. We are also proud that Emirati drivers and growing young talent played a significant contribution to the team’s success in dominating three major disciplines in the championship. This is no mean feat and something we look forward to defending next season.
His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Khalifa Al-Nahyan
Our team deserved the success this year. This is an achievement for the whole UAE and we are proud to have succeeded in the championship. Our team deserves to be number one and can climb on to the podium with pride. To earn the three victories in the Drivers’ Championship, the Teams’ Championship and the Pole Position Trophy is a fantastic achievement by our team.
Salem Al-Remeithi
Incredible, incredible. To win the last race in the World Championship is the best possible thing you can do to win the title. We had two boats on the podium (until the lap penalty) and Rashed gains his first ever points. For me, it is one incredible day.
Guido Cappellini
How the race unfolded
Nineteen boats lined up for the 45-lap title decider. Sami Selio could not start, Shaun Torrente used a spare Moore boat after crashing in morning practice, and Erik Edin fitted a near-standard engine after a failure. Grant Trask and Duarte Benavente also changed engines and started from the back.
Carella led the grid from Stark, Marszalek, Al-Hameli and Chiappe, with Rashed and Thani Al-Qemzi 10th and 11th. The series leader got safely through the first turn in front, while Al-Hameli passed Stark and Marszalek for second. Chiappe dropped to eighth, with Thani and Rashed Al-Qemzi fifth and 14th.
Carella led by 3.75 seconds after five laps, from Al-Hameli, Stark, Andersson and Thani Al-Qemzi. Torrente climbed to 11th and Rashed Al-Qemzi to 13th, but Chiappe was 24.58sec behind after eight laps. Francesco Cantando and Matthew Palfreyman (electrical) retired.
After 13 laps Carella’s lead was 4.80sec, and Rashed Al-Qemzi moved up to 12th when Torrente pulled out with engine problems. By lap 18 the gap was 7.26sec as the leading pair edged away from Stark, Andersson and Al-Qemzi and Chiappe’s title hopes faded. Mike Szymura and Cédric Deguisne (engine) also retired.
At half-distance Carella’s lead fell to 3.95sec as he lapped backmarkers. Stark’s brave run ended on lap 29 with a broken propeller blade, promoting Andersson to third behind Carella and Al-Hameli, with Al-Qemzi and Marszalek fourth and fifth. Chiappe moved past Filip Roms into sixth before the Finn retired on lap 34.
With 10 laps left Andersson passed Al-Hameli for second, by which time Carella led by 23.68sec. Chiappe passed Marszalek for fifth and took fourth when Al-Hameli dropped out.
There was no late drama for Carella, who took the flag 16.03 seconds clear to seal the title, with Andersson, Thani Al-Qemzi and Chiappe next and Rashed Al-Qemzi ninth. Thani’s later one-lap jump-start penalty dropped him to sixth, promoting Chiappe to third.
Practice and F4-S race two
In Friday morning’s one-hour practice Marit Strømøy set the fastest lap of 46.95sec over 31 laps, ahead of Stark. Rashed and Thani Al-Qemzi ran just 14 and six laps for third and eighth, while Carella took no risks over six slow laps. Selio and Marszalek sat out, Palfreyman had continuing engine problems with his Dragon, Trask was towed in with technical trouble, and Torrente’s Victory DAC spun and flipped spectacularly, bringing out a second yellow flag with 18 minutes left. Stark was also towed in with minor electrical issues.
In the F4-S race, Mihaldinecz led Al-Mehairbi and Tom Chiappe off the pontoon, with title rivals Al-Mansoori and Brisset fifth and fourth. Chiappe and Al-Mansoori passed Al-Mehairbi early on. Louise Vella passed Brisset for fifth on lap 15, and Mihaldinecz survived a lap-20 scare to beat Chiappe by 9.11 seconds. Third was enough for Al-Mansoori to take the title from Brisset and Al-Mehairbi, whose one-lap lane penalty promoted Vella to fourth.
Brisset had kept his hopes alive by taking over Corentin Guesnel’s Maverick ASV for the finale, 11 points behind Al-Mansoori at the start of the day. Chiappe topped morning F4-S practice in 50.18sec, and Mihaldinecz spoiled the party with a pole lap of 50.11sec, ahead of Al-Mehairbi and Chiappe, with Brisset and Al-Mansoori fourth and fifth.
2017 Grand Prix of Sharjah – leading finishers
- 1. Alex Carella (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi – 45 laps
- 2. Jonas Andersson (SWE) Team Sweden – +16.03sec
- 3. Philippe Chiappe (FRA) CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team – +20.06sec
- 4. Bartek Marszalek (POL) Blaze F1 Team – +20.68sec
- 5. Peter Morin (FRA) CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team – +27.36sec
- 6. Thani Al-Qemzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi – 1 lap
2017 UIM F1H2O World Championship – final top five
- 1. Alex Carella (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi – 90pts
- 2. Philippe Chiappe (FRA) CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team – 71pts
- 3. Erik Stark (SWE) Team Sweden – 49pts
- 4. Thani Al-Qemzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi – 34pts
- 5. Jonas Andersson (SWE) Team Sweden – 32pts