F1H2O
O
nce again the Middle East stops on
the yearly calendar play a major role in
determining who is the greatest driver
around the globe in this the world’s most
challenging powerboat race series on
water.
It all dates back to 1993 when the Championship came to
Abu Dhabi for the very first time. Now, 21 years later, this
season will mark the 37th and 38th F1 race events in the
United Arab Emirates. Two shy of the all-time mark of 40
held by the European country of Italy dating back to 1981.
The first stop on this “campaign” in 2014 will be along
Doha Bay on the west bank of a very technical and tricky
circuit that marks the third different site since its inception
at the first Grand Prix in Qatar in 2005.
This 13th Grand Prix event will also serve as the third time
there has been a pair of races along the world’s richest
capital also duplicating the 2007 and 2009 campaigns.
The Grand Prix of the Middle East that takes place on the
15th of November serves as a “bookend” to the opening
round of 2014 when three-time World Champion Alex
Carella took the race for the home-standing Qatar
Team for the fourth time in the last five. Alex hopes to
continue his winning streak this season making it three
straight victories after his recent win in Liuzhou, China in
September.
The Doha event is always an evolutionary event
constantly changing with a series of race sites as well
as circuit “adjustments” that take into account the very
challenging openness of the circuit to the Gulf. As a
driver, you have to be very brave to run at your hardest.
Sometimes large swells and heavy winds can disrupt
your rhythm especially in qualifying when you are “flat-
out” for two circuits trying to set pole position.
Memories of drivers making missteps that turn into giant
blow-over accidents are common place here with World
Champions such as Guido Cappellini, Sami Selio and Jay
Price running out of luck and surviving exciting moments
losing out to the “circuit gods” while trying to tame Doha
Bay.
This 13th Grand Prix event wil l also
serve as the third time there has
been a pair of races along the world’s
richest capital also duplicating the
2007 and 2009 campaigns.
The mathematical formula is
simple.
It all comes down to this...
three Grand Prix in 34 days to
determine the 2014 Drivers
Champion on the UIM F1H2O
World Championship tour.
8 | H20 MAGAZINE - NOVEMBER 2014
h2oracing.net
