Team Abu Dhabi look to keep up UIM F1 H20 title charge in Harbin, China

Alex Carella and Thani Al Qamzi will lead the charge on behalf of Team Abu Dhabi in the UIM F1 World Championship at this weekend's Grand Prix of Harbin in China.

Thani Al Qamzi of Team Abu Dhabi competes at the Grand Prix of France. Photo Courtesy / Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club
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Alex Carella and Thani Al Qamzi will lead the charge on behalf of Team Abu Dhabi in the UIM F1 World Championship at this weekend’s Grand Prix of Harbin in north-eastern China. Here’s the lowdown:

Two-point lead

Just days after sending a team to a round of the UIM F2 Championship in Lithuania, Team Abu Dhabi head straight to Asia, where Carella hopes to defend his slender two-point lead in the championship and stay on course to give the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club a long-awaited UIM F1 H2O world title.

New addition

Situated in the northernmost area of China, the new addition to H2O Racing’s F1 calendar will take place at the Hulan Estuary Wetland Park, with the race scheduled to start at 11am (UAE time) on Sunday.

Technical issue

It has been a competitive series, one that has seen Carella overcoming a technical issue at the last race in his native Portugal to coax his DAC over the line in fifth place and remain two points clear of double world champion Philippe Chiappe of France and a further four in front of the American Shaun Torrente of Dubai’s Victory Team.

Open season

These three drivers have edged clear of the rest of the field over the course of the first three rounds of the series, but Carella knows that several other drivers, including teammate Al Qamzi, are more than capable of springing a surprise in Harbin.

Al Qamzi needs luck

Al Qamzi set excellent lap times at the last race, and the second of the Team Abu Dhabi drivers will be hoping for better fortune in China, before the final two races at Abu Dhabi and Sharjah in December.

The other Al Qamzi

Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashed Al Qamzi leads the UIM F-4S feeder championship standings by five points from Finland’s Kalle Viippo, and the Emirati will be hoping to keep up his form.

Where they stand

1 Alex Carella: 2nd Dubai, 15pts; 1st France, 20pts; 5th Portugal, 7pts – 42pts total

2 Philippe Chiappe: 1st Dubai, 20pts; DNF France, 0pts; 1st Portugal, 20pts – 40pts total

3 Shaun Torrente: 3rd Dubai, 12pts; 3rd France, 12pts; 3rd Portugal, 12pts – 36ts total

Remaining races: Harbin, China (this weekend); Liuzhou, China (Oct 1/3); Abu Dhabi (Dec 7/9); Sharjah (Dec 14/16)

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