Abu Dhabi (U.A.E), Tuesday, 15 April 2003 - The first event of the 2003 U.I.M (Union Internationale Motonautique) F1 Powerboat Championship is scheduled for May 4 in Portimão, Portugal, at the mouth of the River Arade, where the river and the sea merge. Portimão, with a new system of highways opened April 10, 2003 is now half an hour away from Faro airport in the Algarve in the South of Portugal. The Portimão race makes the start of this upcoming season one of the most anticipated in years.

Portimão is today regarded as the Algarve’s second city, where the spirit of innovation has kept in touch with the region’s ancient traditions.

A city with 50,000 inhabitants, Portimão also welcomes in the weeks before the F1 Powerboat Championship a variety of events such as the 8th annual Festival of Gastronomy, the 3rd annual Professional Photo contest or the first annual Festival of Contemporary Dance scheduled before the first leg of the UIM F1 Powerboat World Championship in Portimão.

A field of 22 drivers representing 18 different nationalities is expected in Portimão for the 5th Grand Prix of Portugal and the opening round of the UIM Championship. A total of 11 teams have registered for the 2003 World Championship.

Jose Rafael Jesuita, Race Director (OOD) for the Portimão event and the only race director who is a UIM commissioner said: “We have been working with success since the last race to prepare this 5th Portugal Grand Prix with the Team of the officials of the city and Club Interpass, race sponsor and one of the leading suppliers of beds.

“This year, lots of improvements have been introduced for the comfort of all participants in the paddock. It is completely different, more compact and shorter, which means that the spectators have better viewing facilities and will better enjoy the race. The number and the interest of the spectators has been increasing here in Portimão every year. In 2003, we will be expecting 15,000, the highest number ever. This race is very important for Portimão, for the whole region and for all of Portugal. It is one of the few countries organising both FI Inshore races and offshore races. Portimão is the best place in Portugal for creating an interesting track and for the quality of its waters for a race."

Portugal's favorite driver Duarte Benavente of the Atlantic Team was 7th in the 2002 World Championship standings. Duarte Benavente of Portugal took himself the 8th position in the 2002 championship classification with six top ten finishes. The highlight of the 2002 season came when the Lisbon native captured his first career podium with a 3rd place effort at the Grand Prix of Germany. Duarte Benavente had one accident when he and Philippe Dessertenne got together on the opening lap in Campione, but other than that, he did not finish in Malaysia nor Ireland, but had a 2002 season of consistent driving. He is hoping that his next season will move him up to the elite stature of drivers on the tour.

“ I hope to get back into form for my home race. I finished 4th in 2000 in Portimão and 6th in 2002. I hope for all of the sponsors helping me in the competition (Club Interpass, Castrol, NgK Spark Plugs, Arai helmets, International Paints, Memorandum, Sport TV, Correio da Manha and Mundo Nautico), that Portimão is going to be a good and nice race: I hope that it will be memorable for the launch of the season in Portimão. I am quite confident because like last year, my new team mates from Portugal and Holland, Luis Figueiredo and Marcel Meiberg and myself have very reliable boats equipped with powerful Mercury engines.” said Duarte Benavente.

World Champion for the 7th time in 2002 (1993,94,95,96,99,01,02) and wearing number 1, Italian Guido Cappellini of Como, Italy in his DAC Zepter Racing machine with Stanislav Kourtsenovsky, a new team mate from the Russian Federation also with a DAC Mercury 2,5l engine, will introduce a new boat as early as the first season's 1st round. The 43 year-old driver from the North of Italy already has won at Portimão four times. "I like to come back to Portimão. It is a nice city, which brings back memories of four wins. The race is well organised. I would say that it is a good compromise between safety and high-level difficulty. I am introducing a new revolutionary boat using new material. It is a new evolution of the old boat, and I am very confident that I will compete successfully in a good race".

Nicolo di San Germano, Promotor of the UIM F1 World Championship: "It is a particular pleasure to return to a country like Portugal which has a long tradition of boat racing. The event is taking place for the fifth time and I hope that the first event on the 2003 Championship calendar will fulfil the interest of all the spectators in Portimão".

The F1 Powerboat World Championship 2003 calendar will consist of 11 events: Portugal, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Russian Federation, Malaysia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and U.A.E. -- Abu Dhabi and Sharjah).

For additional information, interviews or video footage please contact:

Steve Michael Reporting - Philippe Stiernon F1 Press Officer

Photos: http://www.f1boatphotos.com