THE THIRD WORLD F2 CROWN SECURED BY RASHED WITH VICTORY IN PORTUGAL
Vila Velha de Rdo, Portugal, 17 October, 2021: A third UIM F2 world championship title secured by Team Abu Dhabis Rashed Al Qemzi today with an emphatic victory in the Grand Prix of Portugal.
From pole position as the start , the brilliant Emirati driver completely dominated the final round of the series at Vila Velha de Rdo, winning by the commanding margin of 8.686 seconds from the host countrys defending world champion, Duarte Benavente.
It was the fourth successive Grand Prix win for Al Qemzi in Portugal and his second taste of world title glory this season following Julys endurance championship success in Polamd.
Italian powerboat racing legend Guido Cappellini has now landed 13 world titles since taking charge as Team Abu Dhabi manager in February 2015.
Yet another member of the endurance title-winning crew three months ago Mansoor Al Mansoori, was unfortunate to go out of the race after 18 laps, but has shown enough in his debut season to suggest he can become a real force with Team Abu Dhabi.
Al Qemzi had made a decisive move by winning Portugals penultimate round at Ribadouro a week earlier to within two points of Lithuanias championship leader, Edgaras Riabko.
This meant victory today would guarantee another F2 crown for the 2017 and 2019 champion, and Al Qemzi reinforced his prospects with a second successive pole position yesterday while Riabko qualified down in 11th place, effectively ending his challenge.
Starting from the 1,577m Tagus river course today, Al Qemzi looked in a class of his own, making his way into an immediate lead and at one stage building a huge advantage of 13 seconds over Benavente before relaxing his pace towards the end.
The Portuguese driver finished runner up in the championship, just ahead of Riabko who was placed eighth on the day.
Cappellini, ten-times former F1H2O champion who celebrated with Al Qemzi at the finish, has had a major influence on the former Nations Cup and F4-S world champion, and the rest of the teams Emirati drivers.
This was never more evident than when Al Qemzi combined with his cousin, F1H2O veteran Thani Al Qemzi, and Mansoori, to land the teams second successive world endurance triumph earlier in the season.
Another all-Emirati crew of Rashed Al Tayer, Majed Al Mansoori, Rashed Al Remeithi and Mohamed Al Mehairbi finished runners up in the championship.
Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club could make way for three more world powerboat racing titles before the current season ends.
Thani Al Qemzi leads the UIM F1H2O standings after his opening round victory in Italy from team-mate and defending champion Shaun Torrente, with the drivers and team championships in their sights.
Torrente will also partner Faleh Al Mansoori in a bid to regain the UIM XCAT World Championship at the Fujairah Grand Prix from 29 November to 4 December.
Grand Prix of Portugal leading positons
1. Rashed Al Qemzi (UAE) 2. Duarte Benavente (POR) +8.686 3. Ferdinand Zandbergen (NED) +35.502 4. Bimba Sjholm (SWE) +41.199 5. Daniel Segenmark (SWE) +L1 6. Johan sterberg (SWE) +L1 7. Colin Jelf (GBR) +L1 8. Edgaras Riabko (LTU) +L1 9. Owen Jelf (GBR) +L1 10. Mette Bjerkns (GBR) +L1
Captions:
1. Rashed Al Qemzi powered his way to another world title in Portugal
2. Al Qemzi the smile of a champion
