Points leader favoured to maintain leading slot
The World Formula 1 powerboat championship is on the doorstep of crowning it’s most unlikely of champions as the 2008 season draws to a close in the Middle East and United Arab Emirates in three weeks time.
American Jay Price, the lead driver from the Qatar Team, comes to Abu Dhabi for the series seventh race with a 36 point advantage. Only 40 points are still available in the title chase and with Price arriving on the scene just two seasons ago and now top contender these could easily go his way.
It shows that Jay Price, nicknamed the “Ragin Cagin”, is the fastest climbing star in the history of the sport. In 20 starts and 16 race finishes since 2002, he has earned podium places with 50 per cent of his results.
Despite personal tragedies and hardships that he has been dealt with since his introduction to the series in 2002, he is now relishing the thought of having one hand on the World Championship trophy and an opportunity of celebrating the team’s success in December.
Meanwhile, for another, it’s just great to be back on the F1 tour. German driver Fabian Kalsow will partner Italian Fabio Comparato for the final two races in Abu Dhabi on December 5 and Sharjah on December 12th.
Fabian joined the series in 2005 and was a member of the Tamoil Team. He has nine career starts and a respectable number of five top-ten finishes including a pair of eighth places. He is scheduled to drive a BABA hull that boat builder and driver Massimo Roggiero drove last year.
Team Abu Dhabi driver Ahmad Al Hameli spent the first weekend of November racing in America for the first time on the Formula 1 ChampBoat tour. He drove for Greg Jacobson and Ron Anderson in their development program of the OMC-Johnson 3.3 litre engine. In the featured race, he unfortunately dropped out early after qualifying a respectable seventh fastest in ex-World Champion Scott Gillman’s old 2004 DAC boat.
