AL QAMZI EARNS 1ST POLE OF THE SEASON IN QATAR!
CAPPELLINI 2ND; BRIGADA 3RD IN WILD CRASH MARATHON

DOHA, Qatar – 23rd of November, 2007 – Emirates Team driver Thani Al Qamzi was the first of six drivers out on the 1.92 kilometer race course that on the day ate two race boats in a wild “Top-6 Shootout” that brought out the fastest drivers in qualifying giving them a shot to take pole position at the 3rd Annual Grand Prix of Qatar, the 5th Round of the U.I.M. F1 World Championship for power boating.

 In the challenging rough conditions the native of Abu Dhabi set a time of 48.72 breaking the course record with a speed of 119.75 kilometers per hour around the five pin course on the edge of the Arabian Gulf to set him up for a possibility to win his 2nd race of the season during tomorrow’s 15:30 local time start in front of what is expected to be a record breaking crowd on the corniche in downtown Doha.

“I am very pleased with my performance today and `I want to personally thank Scott Gillman for helping me set up the boat up for my record breaking run,`’ stated Thani. “Tomorrow is a long day but I feel `I can give it an honest effort to win for the 2nd time this season.”

Thani’s effort gave him his first pole position of the season and just in front of  the pair of Tamoil Racings Guido Cappellini and his young teammate Ivan Brigada who both have won here the last two years. Cappellini was quickest going into the final qualifying session and did a 49.80 second lap at a speed of 117.11 kilometers per hour. Last years winner and pole sitter Brigada was a shade slower with a 50.28 second lap and a speed of 115.95 kph.

Behind these three the show really became a spectacular site when first Jay Price of the home standing Qatar Team did a spectacular pirouette losing control on his 2nd of two laps and was lucky to not destroy neither his boat or his well being in a spectacular crash in the open end of the race circuit towards the Gulf in turn 4. His first lap of 51.78 and 112.75 kph was good enough for 4th off the dock tomorrow and his best career start.

Starting 5th with be first time `’shootout`’ performer Stanislov Kourtsenovsky in the F1 Team Energy Baba hull with a speed of  110.1 kph with a time of 52.97 second lap. It was “Stans`’ best qualifying effort of his career and he will begin one boat in front of his teammate Sami Selio who leads the championship but did a spectacular blow over on his very first lap trying extra hard for the pole and will now start 6th chasing his 2nd win of season while hoping to hang on to his 3 point margin in the process.

Ahmed Al Hamli of the Emirates Team is both up for “Rookie of the Year`’ and his first victory starting 7th with a time of 51.76 with Frenchman Philippe Chiappe of the Atlantic Team in 8th place with a 52.59.

Rounding out the top ten will be Jonas Andersson of F1 Team Sweden doing 52.73 in 9th and another Swedish pilot Pierre Lundin of Comparato Racing 10th and a 53.37 lap.

Twenty-four drivers from 11 different nations have come to the corniche in downtown Doha, Qatar for the 5th round of the 2007 U.I.M. F1 World Championship for power boating with the final event of the weekend being the Grand Prix of Qatar being at 15:30 local, 12:30 GMT and 7:30 EST in North America. 

For additional information, interviews or video footage please contact:

Steve Michael Reporting - Philippe Stiernon F1 Press Officer

Photos: http://www.f1boatphotos.com