Sharjah Powerboat Team tops time sheets in first practice of Grand Prix of France

MACON, TGO: Sharjah Powerboat Team’s Sami Selio topped the times sheets in this morning’s free practice session with a best with a best lap of 0:32.26 ahead of Shaun Torrente and Alec Weckstrom at UIM F1H2O Grand Prix of France.

Team Abu Dhabi’s Shaun Torrente and his team mate Thani Al Qemzi finished second and third on the final qualifying result ahead of Peter Morin and Alec Weckstrom.

Selio produced a simply sensational performance and he will start tomorrow’s UIM F1H2O Grand Prix of France in pole position after producing a stunning set of laps and topping the time on Q1 and Q2 and winning the final sixboat minutes race on Saone River with the new format of Q3 for Pole position.

Defending World Champion Jonas Andersson finished fourth with a gap of 0.74 from Selio while French Philippe Chiappe was fifth after having leaded the free practice being the quickest for several laps.

Gillman Racing Alec Weckstrom delivered a solid performance starting the free practice 45 minutes after the green flag and in only three laps he made the third fastest time.

Marit Stromoy was seventh fastest with the second driver of China Team, Peter Morin finishing eight.

Ferdinand Zandbergen the new entry of Sharjah team was able to finish sixth in the final qualifying despite his accident just before the start of Q3 when a rough wave made his boat flying and tipping upside down.

World Champion Jonas Andersson was out from the top six for Q3 by only 0.07 and he will start tomorrow in seventh position ahead of Marit Stromoy and Phiippe Chiappe.

Nine position tomorrow for Portugal’s Duarte Benavente who did a spectacular Q1 with the second quickest lap 0.32 from Sami Selio.

Italy’s Alberto Comparato had a crash due to a balancing problem of his boat when he was sixth quickest in Q1 only 3 minutes before the end and for this reason he was out of the top 12. He was then evaluating the damage to his boat and engine and starting tomorrow from tenth.