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Victory’s Alex Carella was also looking to get his
title challenge back on track after banking no
points in London after crashing out in the latter
stages and the defending champion held the best
record of any of his rivals on the unpredictable
Lac Leman circuit winning from pole position in
2016 and 2017.
Unlike in the previous two years the weather was
perfect and allowed for a full racing programme
with no disruptions, but the mighty Lac Leman still
provided a stern test for all with its unpredictable
and more often than not unseen rollers proving
to be a constant threat.
In BRM Qualifying Team Abu Dhabi’s new recruit
Erik Stark produced a simply sensational final
flying lap to post the fastest time by 1/100ths
of a second in the top-six shootout and would
start UIM F1H2O Grand Prix of France from pole
position.
Stark’s signing was proving to be a masterstroke,
the Swede going quickest in the morning’s
practice and then surviving an astonishing
moment on his final lap to steal the pole from
CTIC F1 Shenzhen China’s Philippe Chiappe
with a 51.17s lap around the six pin 2.08km Lac
Leman circuit, Thani Al Qemzi making it a Team
Abu Dhabi one-three. “That was just a crazy lap, I
just kept my foot down and it was either going to
be good or very, very bad,” he said after his all or
nothing roll of the dice on the final lap. “I knew I
didn’t have the pole after my first lap and on the
second my timing in the boat showed green so I
knew I was on it but then I just flew and it went
red. So I just kept pushing and almost shut my
eyes going into in that final turn.”
Chiappe was third out onto the water with first
man out Al Qemzi sitting with the provisional pole
of 41.46s which Francesco Cantando, who was in
the shootout for the first time in his Blaze and
Marit Stromoy failed to better, and went to the
top of the time sheets with a 51.18s lap on his
first run but was unable to improve. “It doesn’t
get much closer,” said Chiappe. “The conditions
were very hard a lot of waves and for us all a lot
of risk.”
Abu Dhabi move back to top of the TeamsWorld
Championship and open up a 26 point lead over CTIC
F1 Shenzhen China
F1H2O
n° 3 SEPTEMBER | 2018
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