GILLMAN ENDS FRUSTRATION WITH WIN IN ABU DHABI!
CAPPELLINI’S 3RD PLACE GIVES HIM 9TH CHAMPIONSHIP!

ABU DHABI, U.A.E. – 9th of December, 2005 – Emirates Team driver Scott Gillman shook off a year of frustration by capturing his first of 2005 and his 21st career victory at the 13th Annual Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi the 5th stop on the 2005 U.I.M. F1 World Championship for power boating.

The American from California has had a series of rotten luck with a 2nd at the opening round in Portugal followed by two crashes while leading at the Grand Prix’s of Italy and Singapore and a failure to finish while leading in Doha, Qatar three weeks ago. Gillman dominated the event before slowing down on the final two laps and winning by 4.90 seconds on the 7-pin 2.22 kilometer course in downtown Abu Dhabi.

“It’s great to finally end my bad luck here at my adopted home course,” stated Gillman. “I’ve never had a worst season of bad luck while leading for so much of the season and getting nothing in return. Now we head for Sharjah next weekend to try to make it a clean sweep in the Emirates.”

Second place Laith Pharaon did his best to hang around hoping Gillman would break while holding off a host of drivers who were trying to reach a podium finish. The Saudi native had won the last two races held at Abu Dhabi in 2002 and 2003 and was once again a force making a great start from 4th to 2nd on the opening lap.

“We did what we could today,” stated the University of Southern California graduate. “We pushed hard and now have a shot at 2nd place in the championship after next weekend so we will push hard in Sharjah as well.”

Italian Guido Cappellini meanwhile cruised just enough to hold down 3rd place and take his 9th world title. For the Como native he took the title here in Abu Dhabi for the 4th time in his career and now is just one title from reaching his lifetime goal of ten.

“It was hard for me to not push in this race this afternoon,” stated Cappellini. “We had some pressure from Sami Selio for the first half of the event and then when he went out it was just a matter of counting down the laps to the championship. Now for Scott and I Sharjah will be fun since both he and I have nothing to lose to wrap up the season.”

Philippe Dessertenne of the Ligier Sports Team gave a desperate run with his slim hopes for a title chance but just couldn’t make a charge to the top 3 all day. His 4th at days end moves him to 2nd in the championship with 39 points leading Gillman by four with one race to run.

Danish driver Gurt Ladefoged came a long way from 15th to 5th having a great run while watching others drop out in front of him at the same time as only 10 of the 22 starters finished the event after the 45 laps were completed.

The Danita team driver watched his American rookie teammate Chris Fairchild fall out of 8th place when he miss judged a right hander on the front straightaway and was forced to circle 360 degrees to correct his mistake. However, the first time driver who was making quick progress in the event was disqualified for doing what he did and retired on the 19th lap.

Italian Massimo Roggiero has had great success in Abu Dhabi with 5 podiums in his history at this event and came home a steady 6th today and the first driver lapped by leader Gillman.

One time World Champion Fabrizio Bocca in his Rainbow Racing DAC was 7th coming all the way from his 21st starting position. It was his best finish of the year and he hopes for more points next weekend.

Julius Leysen of Belgium and teammate with Selio had an 8th place finish despite he and Italian Marco Gambi hitting hard going into the chicane on the front straight causing Gambi into a tremendous crash ending his day and possibly his season with his boat showing a lot of damage at days end.

Qatar driver Mohammed Al Ali in just his 3rd race took points with a fine 9th place despite spinning out on a restart late in the event.
Two time winner of the event Italian Francesco Cantando of the Singha F1 Team started 10 and finished 10 despite moving up to as high as 5th before dropping back in the closing laps.

It was an action packed afternoon when David Trask who started from the 13th position challenged 6th place Fabio Comparato on the first lap and the two got together with Comparato stopping his race with boat damage while Trask motored on at high speed only to crash heavily a few turns later barrel rolling to a stop when his boat was falling apart from the incident without the driver being aware of the situation.  

Italian Ivan Brigada was back in Cappellini’s number two machine and once again showed why he is a driver of the future going from 5th to a possible podium finish sitting in 3rd when the engine gave up on the 24th lap.

Sami Selio tried as he could to get around Cappellini for many laps finally ran afoul of the Italian as he got too close to his wash and spun out then barrel rolled on the 25th lap to end his championship hopes at the same time.

Bob Trask ended the XPV Racing effort when dropped out on the 33rd lap and Emirates number two Thani Al Qamzi was running a spirited race pushing hard for a podium and then got jammed up on the right hander on the front straight was pushed into the buoy and took out the turn buoy and was docked a lap only to drop out with a dead engine on the final lap to be classified 11th.

So, one race remains on the 2005 U.I.M. F1 World Championship calendar with the 6th stop on the tour next Friday, December 16th at the Grand Prix of Sharjah. Now, with the championship all sowed up it will be a great shootout between all drivers who have nothing to lose. Could be one of the best in the history of the sport. Stay tuned.

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Philippe Stiernon
Press Officer
Philippe@f1boat.com