GILLMAN LOOKS TO KEEP STREAK ALIVE IN CHINA WITH WIN!
NO ROOM FOR ERRORS WITH 6 RACES IN THE NEXT 70 DAYS!

ABU DHABI, UAE – Friday, 28 of September, 2007 – Great drivers have a knack of finding a way to win under any circumstances. It seems no matter where they race or what type of circuit is thrown at them as a challenge they seem to always finish at the front.

For defending World Champion Scott Gillman of the Emirates Team, the native of Los Angeles, California seems to feel comfortable no matter where he races. As he heads toward the 3rd round of the 2007 U.I.M. F1 World Championship for power boating for the Grand Prix of Xi’an, he carries with him a two race winning streak in China that dates back to 2004.

After the first two rounds of the campaign, Gillman has a win at the Grand Prix of Portugal along with a 2nd place finish at the Grand Prix of France to lead the championship with 35 points. In the three races he’s raced in China, Scott has never finished lower than 2nd place.

“China seems to be a great place for us,” said Scott. “We hope we can keep the streak alive and keep our points lead at the same time. With so many races in less than three months, you have to have every person on the team working well without a missing a beat because there is no time to make up for mistakes.”

Coming off his first career victory in La Rochelle, France is Finnish driver Sami Selio of the F1 Team Energy racing group who has a 4th place to go along with his win and has 29 points and momentum leading to Xi’an. In his past Grand Prix action in China, Sami has struggled with a 9th and a 10th place finish as he chases his first podium on the Yellow river.

Third in the championship chase is Jay Price of the Qatar Team who came home a fine 2nd place in his first ever event in China a year ago making it a first 1-2 American finish in over a decade. The native of New Orleans, Louisiana has a 3rd place in Portimao, Portugal and a 4th in France which gives him 21 points and keeps him very much into the championship race early into the season.

 In 4th position with 15 points is ex-World Champion Guido Cappellini of the Tamoil Team. The Como, Italy driver has also won twice in China but hasn’t done so since his back to back wins in 1995 and 1996. He had gone four straight races here on the podium before finishing 6th last year.
Cappellini finished 2nd in Portugal and crashed out in France this season.

Fifth in points race is 2nd year driver Jonas Andersson of Sweden as the F1 Team Sweden competitor was racing towards a podium last season in Chongzhou until he encountered problems. This season he is coming off a podium placed 3rd at the Grand Prix of France and now has 12 points and must be considered a serious championship competitor.

Atlantic Team driver Philippe Chiappe is fast becoming the “comeback” player of the year with two straight top-10 performances with an 8th in Portugal and a 5th at his home Grand Prix. His 10 points have him on a possible best season total early in this campaign for the driver from Rouen.

Fellow Frenchman Philippe Dessertenne is 7th in the championship having gained a 5th at the opening round in Portugal then having a disappointing failure to finish in his hometown of La Rochelle after qualifying 8th. The 44 year-old driver who drives for the China CTIC Charente Maritime Team and had his best season with a 3rd in the championship back in 2001, is hoping to something he’s never done in China, finish in the top 5.

Russian pilot Stanislov Kourtsenovsky of the F1 Team Energy group is having a good return season racing for the first time in over 3 years, by coming off a 6th place finish in France and now has 5 points ready to race in China for the first time.

The Australian brother combination of David and Bob Trask of the XPV Racing Team have made a great impression in the early part of the season despite picking up just 4 points between them so far in the campaign. David, who is the 35 year-old younger brother is coming off his first ever pole position at the Grand Prix of France has a 7th place finish in Portugal with both brothers failing to finish at La Rochelle.

The Trask brothers, who have been putting on a great show this summer on the Australian F1 circuit, are expected to introduce their newly built GTR boats that have a track record “down under” and could do the same beginning in China where David a year ago picked up his first ever podium.

All in all, the 6th Grand Prix in China in the charming and historic city of Xi’an on the 4th and 5th of October will be the start of a hectic part of the 2007 season with 6 races in just 70 days in the battle for the U.I.M. F1 World Championship title. Will the early leaders continue to dominate, or will there be new faces ready to take over the title chase when it is all over by mid-December? These answers and many more will be taken seriously beginning next week.

For additional information, interviews or video footage please contact:

Steve Michael Reporting - Philippe Stiernon F1 Press Officer

Photos: http://www.f1boatphotos.com