2009 race season. Sami knows what it takes to capture glory in
§must win¨ situations, like he did winning the title in the final race of
both the 2007 and 2010 campaigns. However, the driver with 119
career starts since his first in 1
knows something special must
be reached in the upcoming months to have a shot at taking away
the glory from the Qatar Team duo. §:e came so close to taking
it all last December,¨ said Sami. §Now, with this disappointment
behind us, we are going to build on it as a team to use this for
motivation to get back up and again reach the top of the mountain
when it’s all over.
§Michael -enkins, who is my Team Manager, is a true professional,
can get the most out of our guys and push the skills and
confidence to the next level. I’m confident between the two of us
it will happen in 2014.”
Joining Sami for a third straight year will be fast rising star Filip
Roms. The youngster has just 10 race starts in his F1 career with six
being top 10 performances, with a sixth in Doha his career best at
the tail end of last season.
The 20 year-old recent graduate from Espoo, Finland came out
of the development series started by his teammate and mentor
Selio. With his father having raced in the 1970’s and his sister who
is currently competing, the blood lines run deep for racing success
for this race happy family .A consistent ïurry of top five finishes
maybe soon be on the cards for this talented newcomer.
For many of the past seasons Team Abu Dhabi has been the
standard when it comes to excellence in the sport of UIM F H2O
racing. Team Manager and mentor Scott Gillman of California
won three of his four world titles with the ADIMSC (Abu Dhabi
International Marine Sports Club) and when he stepped aside from
full-time racing because of illness in 2007, he had a pair of young
stars eagerly awaiting to take his place as leader of the team.
In 2013 the organization was never at full strength. First, they
received the news in 2012 that their promising driver Ahmed
Al Hameli was discovered to have had a tumor that needed
immediate attention. +e was ïown directly to the 8nited States for
an operation ending his season. The championship points’ leader
was done, but most importantly he started his rehabilitation and
remained for months in the States slowly recovering before being
sent back to his hometown of Abu Dhabi.
Ahmed, got his long awaited doctors permission to return to
racing just one week before the Brazilian Grand Prix in early June,
but it took most of season for the 35 year-old to get back into
racing shape.
+e finished with a fourth at the final race in Sharjah, but, the six
win veteran only had that one top-five result while taking four top-
ten’s in the four races he completed. Look for Ahmed who has 16
career podiums to be ready to return to the top-three in regular
fashion and a possible world title this new season. §<eah, it was
very frustrating at first,¨ said Ahmed. §I reali]ed I wasn’t in my best
shape and it really took me most of the year to really start feeling
one with the boat again. At Sharjah it was finally coming back and
I know now with another four months preparing I think I can get
back to form and really push for victories again in 2014. Let’s get
the party started!”
His friend and teammate veteran Thani Al Qamzi came home with
three top-five performances in his four finishes a year ago but
no podiums in 2013 for this 13 year veteran. The driver from Abu
Dhabi, who began in 2000, has 108 starts including seven wins
and 2 podium finishes. This year will be a key season for this
driver who has finished five times in the top-three in points in his
H20 MAGAZINE - MARCH 2014 | 9
h2oracing.net
