CAPPELLINI WINS GRAND PRIX OF FRANCE!
DAC RACING 1 & 2; LEPPALA 3RD!

Chalon-sur-Saone, France: June 27th - 4-time World Champion Guido Cappellini of Monaco won the Grand Prix of France for the 4th time in 5 years as he took to the front of the field passing his teammate Fabio Camparato on the 22nd lap to win the 4th round of the U.I.M. F1 World Championship of powerboating.

The Lazerline/Castrol team leader passed his talented rookie teammate after Comparato took charge from the start after pole-sitter Jonathan Jones of Cardigan, Wales couldnāt get it right and was 4th after the 1st lap. Jones had 3rd position locked up until two laps from the end when his engine quit on the 61st lap. Jones finished 7th in the final standings.

The drive of the day came from the American Scott Gillman of Basalt, Colorado who was looking to duplicate his 1997 victory and was moving to with 2 seconds of Cappellini until his connecting rod broke on the 47th lap ending the Emirates Team lead drivers chance of victory.

Finnish pilot Pertti Leppala had bad luck from the start, jumping the start lights and being forced to start from 3rd on the dock where he qualified, but now a lap down. Leppalaās speed was steady and constant and when Jones went out, he went to the podium for the 3rd straight time this year and is now alone in the World Championship behind Cappellini with 39 points.

Andy Elliott of Great Britian and Philippe Dessertenne of France came charging towards the front with Elliott starting 13th and finishing 4th, while native of La Rochelle was 5th after starting 15th for his best finish of the season. The 3rd pilot in this group that put the crowd of 50,000 on the edge of their seats was Hungarian Rudy Mihaldinecz who started 7th and was up to 5th ready to challenge his teammate Jonathan Jones when the native of Dunaujvaros barrell rolled in turn 2 ending his day on the 17th lap.

Argentinian driver Carlos Maidana was still in pain from his broken rib suffered in Sardinia electing not to qualify to save his strength for the raceday, came up with his most spirited drive of the year roaring through the field from 22nd and last to finish 6th at the end.

Italian Cipriano Lambri had his best performance of the year to finish 8th, as did possible retiring driver Kikko Vidoli who was 9th in the French Fuchs entery, while rookie Duarte Benavente of Portugal picked up his first championship point in only his 3rd race to round out the top 10.

Round 5 of the U.I.M. F1 World Championship for powerboating while be in Dunaujvaros, Hungary for the Grand Prix of Hungary on the 24th and 25th of July. Cappellini leads the World Championship with 60 points, with Leppala 2nd with 39.