Team Abu Dhabi's Shaun Torrente sets early pace in F1H2O China practice 18.10.2019: Team Abu Dhabi’s reigning world champion fastest in official practice for tense Grand Prix double header photo caption: Shaun Torrente – fastest in official practice

Team Abu Dhabi’s reigning world champion fastest in official practice for tense Grand Prix double header




photo caption:  Shaun Torrente – fastest in official practice



Team Abu Dhabi’s Shaun Torrente underlined his determination to clinch a second successive drivers’ title in the UIM F1H2O World Championship today by setting the early pace at the start of a tense race weekend in China.



Carrying a slim three-points lead over Sweden’s Jonas Andersson into tomorrow’s (Saturday) Grand Prix of Xiamen, Torrente was comfortably fastest in the two-hour official practice session with a lap of 55.41 secs on the 2,516m Wuyan Bay circuit.



With Norway’s Marit Stromoy (56.39) and Italian former four-times world champion Alex Carella (56.37) clocking the two next best times, Team Abu Dhabi’s Thani Al Qemzi (56.39), lying third in the world title race, was fourth fastest.



While this year’s F1H2O World Championship concludes in Sharjah in December, developments in the Grand Prix double header in China in the space of 24 hours could decide the major issues.



The boats return to the water at 9.45am tomorrow morning for another practice session before the pole position race at 11am for the Grand Prix of Xiamen to follow at 4pm.



The frantic race programme continues with an identical schedule on Sunday culminating in the Grand Prix of China. Team Abu Dhabi’s Torrente and Al Qemzi, starting the weekend with eight Grand Prix career victories each,  hold a 32 pts lead over Team Sweden in their bid to retain the world team title.




photo caption: Thani Al Qemzi in discussion with Team Abu Dhabi manager Guido Cappellini.



F1H20 leading official practice times

1. Shaun Torrente        UAE    55.41 secs
2. Marit Stromoy        NOR    56.36
3. Alex Carella        ITA    56.37
4. Thani Al Qemzi        UAE    56.39
5. Peter Morin            FRA    56.43
6. Jonas Andersson        SWE    56.74
7. Phillippe Chiappe        FRA    56.89
8. Erik Edin            SWE    57.20   
9. Bartek Marszalek        POL    57.39
10. Alberto Comparato    ITA    57.91





-Tony Lewis, Total Communications Dubai - also photos