Finnish Formula I champion achieves his first win of the season
Defending Formula 1 champion Sami Selio of Finland achieved a 1.77 second victory over American Jay Price in the sixth round of the series on Lake Shenzhen in China on Sunday moving up to third in the championship with a score of 47 points.
“I got a great start and managed to stay out of trouble which helped tremendously,” said Selio. “It was very hot and I couldn’t let up for an instant with Jay hounding me the whole time. I still have a slight chance for the championship but with this my only win of the season it’s really out of my hands now.”
Price, known for over 25 years as the “Ragin Cagin”, did his level best to push for the win despite having a severe trim problem with his DAC boat.
“I had a devil of a time trying to control the boat all day and I had to be very careful in using power because on some parts of the course it would be easy to blow the boat completely over, said Price.”Now with the second place I am so close to the championship I can almost taste it, I cannot afford to let my guard down when the team heads for the United Arab Emirates for the final two races of the year.”
Team Abu Dhabi driver Ahmad Al Hameli reached the podium for the third time this season when he finished a strong third place 4.32 seconds behind the leader. Despite a severe learning curve after switching from his damaged BABA boat to a DAC hull he still moves up to fourth in the driver’s championship with 40 points.
Ahmad’s teammate Thani Al Qamzi put together a daring move early passing leader Selio at the right hander after the start finish line holding a brief lead on the eighth lap before pulling out with engine problems on the 13th lap, the sixth time he has failed to pick up points this season.
Swedish driver Jonas Andersson came home fourth 19.17 seconds later driving the F1 Team Sweden DAC outfit to and retain a slim shot at taking the 2008 title after gaining nine more points while finishing for the first time without winning a race.
Fifth was another Swede, Pierre Lundin, the first of the China CTIC Team drivers, 30.88 seconds behind Selio: a slot elevating him to sixth in the championship with 31 points.
