LEPPALA CAPTURES FIRST CAREER POLE!
CAPPELLINI & GILLMAN READY TO RENEW BATTLE!

Chalon-sur-Saone, France: June 6 th - Finnish driver Pertti Leppala took out his frustration on the rest of the field following his disqualification two weeks ago in St. Petersburg, Russia and thundered his way to his first career pole position for tomorrow's 3 rd round of the U.I.M. F1 World Championship here for the Grand Prix of France.

The native of Helsinki did a time of 37.02 second lap for a time of 155.59 kph in the special qualifying "shootout" session improving his 3 rd quickest time of a 37.46 and taking American Scott Gillman out of first place by 5/1000 of a second. The defending World Champion, who has failed to win a pole postion in the first 3 events of the season, was bounced to 3 rd on the start grid when 4-time World title holder, Guido Cappellini of Como, Italy equalled the American's 37.07 and moved into 2 nd starting spot by having a quicker 2 nd lap from the man from Basalt, Colorado.

Leppala, who thought he had the race won in Russia, came across the finish line first, but was immediately disqualified after officals ruled he had hit a bouy. The penalty stopped the one time World Speed Skiing Champion's run of 11 straight races where he finished in the top 5. Pertti, who is in only his 3 rd full season of racing Formula 1 boats, has finished runner-up in the Championship for the past 2 years and is still looking for his first career victory.

Young Italian sensation Francesco Cantando of Milan, continued to impress as he did a 37.63 and will start 4 th on the start pontoon. Francesco has finished 2 nd in two of his last 3 races going back to the 1997 season and is hoping for more success in his best starting position of the season.

Three time World Champion Jonathan Jones of Cardigan, Wales will start 5 th .82 seconds off the pole and doing a speed of 152.21 kph, while his ex-teammate of a season ago, Massimo Roggiero of the Laserline/Castrol team did a 37.84 and rounded out the top six starters for his best starting effort of the year so far.

Rounding out the top 10, Swede Goran Karlof is 7 th with a time of 149.14 kph; 8 th is Frabrizio Bocca of Italy with a 148.95 kph effort; 9 th is Andy Elliott of Great Britian with a 148.79 kpm and 10 th Philippe Dessertenne of France with a 144.25 kph.

The 3 rd Round of the U.I.M. F1 World Championship at Chalon-sur Saone will begin at 16:30 CET or 10:30 Eastern Daylight Time.