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Alex Carella is a pre-race favourite and three-
time world champion who captured victories
in Abu Dhabi in 2011, 2012 and 2015. He is
currently the championship points’ leader and
odds on favourite for a fourth crown in 2017.
Local driver Thani Al Qemzi, a seven time race
winner is still searching for his first victory
on home waters, whilst youngster Rashed Al
Qemzi makes his first start on home waters in
the top flight.
Another Team Manager who earned his way
to the F1H2O ‘Hall-of-Fame’ is Scott Gillman
who leads the Dubai based Victory Team.
The likeable Californian is one of three
American drivers to have won in Abu Dhabi,
his favorite moment his victory in 1997
cementing his first of four world titles in just
his rookie season.
His two talented drivers, fellow American
Shaun Torrente from Florida and local hero
Ahmed Al Hameli, are still dark horses for a
title this year, with both looking for their first
victory in the UAE’s second largest city.
Italian drivers have had more victories in
the past years in Abu Dhabi than any other
nationality with ten. They are just ahead of the
American drivers Felix Serralles, Scott Gillman
and Jay Price with a total of six taking two
apiece.
Serralles, who is from the island of Puerto
Rico, was actually the first multi-time winner
in Abu Dhabi capturing back-to-back race
wins in 1993 and 1994.
Some of the many race weekends that
officially handed out world championships
in Abu Dhabi go all the way back to 1995.
Welshman Jonathan Jones won the race but
Italian Guido Cappellini did what he needed to
do as he cruised home to a top ten finish to win
his third straight championship at the time.
A year later Cappellini capped his record
breaking season winning on the Corniche and
capturing his eighth win in nine starts to finish
off the most dominating season in the 34 year
history of the sport.
1997, it was all about the rookie fromAmerica
Scott Gillman as he won his first of two events
in Abu Dhabi (the other being in 2005)
cementing his world trophy after winning
three straight North American titles.
1998 was one of the most tension-filled action
packed races ever in Abu Dhabi. Three drivers
were still in the mix for a title with all three at
one time leading the event.
Cappellini held point early but dropped out
at the mid-way point of the race and lost the
title. Gillman took the lead and then a few
laps later Gillman did the same thing missing
out on back-to-back titles. The final driver in
the mix, Jonathan Jones, took over in the late
stages, led andwon his only race of the season,
capturing his second and final world title that
day.
Almost a decade later, Finnish star and
current Mad Croc BABA driver Sami Selio,
needed a ‘must win’ performance and got just
that, winning his first of two titles in 2007 and
doing the same in 2010. This year Selio will be
hoping to be only the second driver towin four
or more races in Abu Dhabi.
Five of the past winners will be racing in the
Grand Prix in 2017 including three past world
champions; Italian Francesco Cantando, a
back-to-back winner in 2000 and 2001 is in
his 22nd year of racing on the UIM F1H2O
F1H2O
Sami Selio celebrates one
of his three victories
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