ABU DHABI // Team Abu Dhabi's Thani Al Qamzi, Scott Gillman and Majed Al Mansoori will start today's 21st Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi from second, seventh and 17th positions respectively after an eventful qualifying session on the new 2.2km, six-pin course at the Abu Dhabi Breakwater.
Al Qamzi had set the target lap time of 47 seconds during his two-lap stint on the course in the third qualifying session and looked set to snatch pole position on his home course.
But up stepped the world champion Alex Carella to edge in front for Qatar on his first lap to claim pole position and the 2012 UIM F1 H20 Pole Position World Championship title.
Frenchman Phillipe Chiappe qualified in third place and Sweden's Jonas Andersson was fourth, as Carella, Chiappe and Finland's Sami Selio fight for the world title in today's race.
Team Abu Dhabi's team manager Scott Gillman qualified in seventh position from 23 drivers in his return to racing in an Etihad Airways-liveried Baba.
Al Mansoori failed to reach the second qualifying session and will start the race from 17th position.
In the F-4S category, Team Abu Dhabi's Mohammed Al Mehairbi qualified seventh for the first race and finished in fifth position.
Jesper Forss, the series leader, led from the start to extend his advantage in the championship over Britain's Matthew Palfreyman to seven points.
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