16 / 44
he glory and drama that is the Grand
Prix of Abu Dhabi started with a pair
of races run in 1993 and this year the
UAE capital celebrates its 25th UIM
F1H2OGrand Prix.
Twenty-five years on it has become
the back bone of the tour and one filled
with glory and drama where world
champions have been commonly
crowned and careers ended and is
now one of the most anticipated
events on the calendar year-after-year.
The history books show that over time 11 different drivers from
seven countries have taken the checkered flag. The most recent being
Swedish driver Jonas Andersson, winning in 2016 to capture his fifth
career victory and his first along the corniche in 12 tries.
A brief history lesson; as we look down the long list of success of many
drivers the names that stand out with multiple victories in Abu Dhabi
must begin with ‘Hall-of-Fame’ driver Guido Cappellini.
The Italian fromComowon the first ever event andwent on towin four
more races, winning world championships along the way while riding
off into the sunset winning for the final time in his last racing season in
2009, sixteen years after his first here along the Gulf in 1993.
Cappellini will once again be along the waters’ edge in 2017, not as
a race driver but as a Race Manager. The host club he now controls
on water is Team Abu Dhabi with a pair of stablemates loaded with
experience and talent and a third driver tipped as a future champion.
F1H2O
T
ABUDHABI
CELEBRATING ITS
25
TH
GRAND PRIX!
16
n° 4November | 2017