GIANT FIELD OF DRIVERS EXPECTED IN THE EMIRATES!
5 DRIVERS STILL BIDDING FOR 2ND PLACE IN 2002 RACE!

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (20th November) - The "Final Episode" of the 2002 U.I.M. F1 World Championship for power boating is coming from the United Arab Emirates with the largest field of drivers in over a decade expected with 27 pre-entries for the two stop Grand Prix tour on the 13th of December in Sharjah and the season finale on the 20th in Abu Dhabi.

The tradition of heading to the spectacular setting in "The Emirates" is now in it's 9th season having put together races in Abu Dhabi since 1994 as a season "closer". In that first event, Americans Felix Seralles and Mike Seebold finished one-two, with Belgian driver Danny Bertels finishing on the podium. Since that time, 3 World Championships have been decided in the final round at Abu Dhabi, the home and the proving grounds to a location now dubbed on the tour as the "City where champions are made."

The 2002 campaign has already crowned their champion with Italian Guido Cappellini taking his 7th title with 5 victories in the 8 races run thus far in the season. However, the pressure to take the second step on the championship "box" at the end of the season is heating up with 5 drivers still in the running. As we head to the Emirates, Frenchman Philippe Dessertenne is currently 2nd with 55 points on the strength of a win at the Grand Prix of Finland and two podiums.

Saudi Arabian pilot Laith Pharaon is sitting in 3rd, just a point behind Dessertenne with 3 podiums and a pair of 2nd place finishes this season. In the 4th spot is American Scott Gillman, who won his 2nd World Championship in the Emirates back in 2000, has 4 podiums and a 2nd place finish at the Grand Prix of Hungary. The fifth and final driver in the "chase of 2nd place" is Italian Massimo Roggiero who has a victory at the Grand Prix of Malaysia and a 3rd in Finland.

This battle has been going on all season long between these 5 and it doesn't look like the intensity will be lessoned with the 3 month layoff between the Grand Prix of Ireland and the final two events.

One thing we do know is, that a record entry list is expected with 3 new drivers running in this season's event highlighting an ever growing list of interest in the series. French driver Philippe Chiappe will be the 3rd driver of the Charente Maritime Team with fellow countryman Philippe Dessertenne. Mare Magnum team will have a 3rd driver in Italian Luigi Roberto who had 2 starts in the F2000 series this year and looks to move up in 2003. The final driver who is a newcomer to the circuit racing for the first time is Australian Bob Trask.

With a plethora of drivers and final entries still not in, expect eliminations for the final 24 drivers to form up on the starting line-up in the 3rd annual Grand Prix of Sharjah on the 13th of December.