Abdullah Al Sulaiti and Lino Di Biase piloted Qatar 95, a Michel Peters-designed catamaran powered by twin Mercury Racing 1075 SCi V-8 consumer performance engines, to win the Middle East Grand Prix in Doha, Qatar, on Thursday, May 4. The race was the second round of the 2006 Union International Motonautique (U.I.M.) Class 1 World Powerboat Championship series.
"I am absolutely thrilled," said Qatar 95 driver Al Sulaiti. "To start from the back of the field and then go on to win the race is just unbelievable. It was a great team effort and what a place to win your first race – In front of a home crowd in Doha!".
Team Qatar sister ship Qatar 96, piloted by Sheikh Hassan Bin Jabor Al Thani and Matteo Nicolini finished second. Completing Mercury Racing’s 1-3 sweep of the podium were Norwegians Jorn Tandberg and Christian Zaborowski in Jotun, a 40-foot MTI catamaran powered by twin Mercury Racing 1075 SCi engine packages.
“I am delighted for the entire team,” said Quatar 96 driver Sheikh Hassan. “Everyone has worked hard over the last 10 days. This was a fitting reward for everyone's efforts and a superb result for the team."
Quatar 95 throttleman Lino Di Biase powered up the 1075 SCis to make an impressive break through the field at the start of the race – moving from last position to second at the end of lap one. Chris Parsonage and James Sheppard maintained their lead in King of Shaves, a Victory catamaran powered by twin Lamborghini V-12 race engines. Spirit of Norway, also powered by Lamborghini V-12s, secured the third position.
By the end of lap three, Lamborghini powered Victory 77 moved into third place, but a broken propeller on lap ten ended their race. King of Shaves was extending its lead when a broken driveshaft on lap 11 took it out of the competition.
Mercury Racing 1075 SCi powered boats captured first, third and fourth positions. Qatar 95 held a comfortable lead over second place runner Spirit of Norway. Qatar 96 moved into third. Mercury Racing 1075 SCi-powered Jotun moved from eighth place on lap one to fourth place on lap 11. No matter how hard they tried, Spirit of Norway pilots Bjorn Gjlesten and Steve Curtis could not catch up with Qatar 95 which had expanded its lead on every lap. A broken propeller ended the Spirit of Norway challenge on lap 16.
Team Qatar marched on to capture first and second spot with Jotun coming home in third to complete the clean sweep victory for Mercury Racing 1075 SCi engine packages. Giampaolo Montavoci and Domenico Cirilli piloted Foresti&Suardi-Roscioli Hotels to a fourth place finish. Nadir Bin Hendi and Ahmed Al Suwaidi rounded out fifth in Victory 7, the fourth Mercury Racing 1075 SCi powered boat.
Final Results:
1. Qatar 95 - Al Sulaiti/Di Biase 20pts
2. Qatar 96 - Al Thani/Nicolini 15pts
3. Jotun - Tandberg/Zaborowski 12pts
4. Foresti & Suardi-Roscioli Hotels - Cirilli/Montavoci 9pts
5. Victory 7 - Al Suwaidi/Hendi 7pts
6 Spirit of Norway - Gjelsten/Curtis 5pts
7. Ceramiche Flaminia - Chillocci/Esperto 4pts
8. SeveneleveN - Nilsen/Giorgi 3pts
King of Shaves - Sheppard/Parsonage DNF
Victory 77 - Al Marri/Sanchez DNF
CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
1. Qatar 96 - Al Thani/Nicolini 31pts
2. Spirit of Norway - Gjelsten/Curtis 29pts
3. Qatar 95 - Al Sulaiti/Di Biase 25pts
4. Victory 7 - Al Suwaidi/Hendi 18pts
5. Victory 77 - Al Marri/Sanchez 17pts
6. Jotun - Tandberg/Zaborowski 14pts
7. King of Shaves - Sheppard/Parsonage 13pts
8. Ceramiche Flaminia - Chillocci/Esperto 12pts
9. Foresti & Suardi-Roscioli Hotels - Cirilli/Montavoci 11pts
10. SeveneleveN - Nilsen/Giorgi 5pts
(Championship points include bonus points allocated to teams for running engines for two consecutive races - one point, per engine, per race)
Round three of the 2006 U.I.M. Class 1 World Powerboat Championship series is the Spain Grand Prix, June 2-4, in Garrucha, Spain. For further information on the UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship, go to www.class-1.com.