CAPPELLINI MAKES IT 5 STRAIGHT AT PORTIMAO
COMPARATO SECOND AFTER DISQUALIFICATION FROM CANTANDO

and Saudi Arabian driver Laith Pharaon now reaches the podium and SLIDES up to 3rd and gains 12 points for his performance in his early chase for the World Championship.

PORTIMAO, Portugal : (4th May) - Italian World Champion Guido Cappellini took control from the start and held on for a 3.03 second victory over rival Francesco Cantando of Milan, while Fabio Comparato, a further 4 seconds back made it a Italian 1-2-3 on the podium at the opening round of the 2003 U.IM. F1 World Championship for powerboating at the 5th annual Grand Prix of Portugal. Cappellini leads the World Championship with 20 points.

Cantando and his Singha Race Team entry WERE disqualified from 2nd place  following a protest after the completion of the Grand Prix of Portugal, opening round of the U.I.M. F1 World Championship for power boating.

Cappellini, the lead driver and 7-time World Champion of the Zepter Tamoil Team, took off from the pole position and held the lead for the full 50 laps after being pressured by first Laith Pharaon in the Green Team DAC early on before he slipped back to 4th at races end. While Pharaon lost his 2nd place position, Italian Massimo Roggiero moved up only to drop out after 7 laps giving Cantando a clear run at Cappellini.

Cantando did his best but a fuel leak in the boat forced him to remove his canopy for 2/3's of the event and losing his chance to push Cappellini in a serious run for the lead.

Comparato, running his DAC boat was steady and finished 3rd in a good start to the season as he continues to development of his own racing boat that maybe seen at the series next round in Helsinki, Finland in 5 weeks time.

Portugese driver Duarte Benavente had a great run starting in the top 5 and finishing 5th at the end of the day iƒ
n his English built Burgess hull as the local crowd cheering his every move to the front.

Danish driver Gert Ladefoged did a credible job moving from 11th to finish 6th and another steady finish for the ever improving DanIta Team driver.

One time World Champion Fabrizio Bocca was 7th in his Corona Extra entry coming from 13th at the start. Australian driver Bob Trask was was 8th after starting 15th and Englishman Andy Elliott was 9th after qualifying 14th.

Italian driver Franco Leidi reached the points position for the first time in 12 races after finishing 10th in his Singha Racing Team boat moving up 8 places from the start.

Italian rookie Massimilianio Moreschi, Philippe Chiappe of France and Luis Figueiredo of Portugal rounded up the field of 13 running at the finish.

Two time World Champion American Scott Gillman of Colorado started 6th and was pushing strongly into the top 5 when his engine let go just 3 laps into the event. It was his 3rd powerplant of the weekend expiring.

Finnish star Sami Selio who began the day in 3rd was struggling to stay in the top 5 also when his power stearing let go and he retired 18 laps into the event. Swedish driver Pierre Lundin was up as high as 4th before he went out also on lap 18.

Frenchman Philippe Dessertenne of the Ligier Sports Team left after his power STEERING also went out on the 35th lap, while Michael Weckstrom of Finland of the Velden Racing Team made to 44 laps in before retiring. Cappellini's teammate Russian pilot Stanislov Kourtsenovsky lasted just one half of a lap along with rookie Luigi Roberto of Italy and Comparato Racing.

Cantando's disqualification came because he removed his safety canopy during the race so that he could breathe fresh air in spite of a  fuel leak.  This is against U.I.M. governing body rules.

Cantando now loses his 15 points from the championship table with everyone behind him moving up a spot in the ladder in the process. 18-year old rookie Massimiliano Moreschi gets his first championship point in his first ever race because of the misforture of his teammate.

Saudi Arabian driver Laith Pharaon now reaches the podium and MOVES up to 3rd and gains 12 points for his performance in his early chase for the World Championship.

The next round of the 2003 U.I.M. F1 World Championship campaign moves on to Helsinki, Finland in five weeks' time.