Team Abu Dhabi's Thani al Qamzi hopes to take sole possession of the lead in the 2010 UIM F1 Championship when he and teammate Ahmed al Hameli race in this weekend's Grand Prix of China on the Yihe River.
Al Qamzi shares the top spot in the drivers' championship with Jay Price of Team Qatar. Both racers collected 21 points from the first two races of the season in Portugal and Russia. Al Hameli and Sami Selio of Finland are both one point behind the leaders.
Al Hameli holds a slender edge in the pole-position standings and Team Abu Dhabi are well clear in the team championship. Sunday's race at Linyi, in northeastern China, is the first of three grands prix in the next four weekends, all in China.
Amassing championship points and avoiding damage to the boats is crucial for Team Abu Dhabi before the fourth round of the series on October 17 and round five the following weekend.
This weekend's race will also witness the launch of the F4 series for young drivers keen to carve a career in racing. Each of the registered teams in the UIM F1 series has entered a driver. Majed al Mansoori will represent Team Abu Dhabi.
Drivers will take part in a practice session with the new F4 boats, before competing in a time trial tomorrow and the first of two 20-minute races. Meanwhile, in the UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship series, three teams from the UAE will continue their battle for the top spot this weekend in Stresa, Italy.
Two boats from Dubai's Victory Team lead the season competition. Fazza tops the standings with 103 points, followed by Skydive Dubai with 86 and Team Abu Dhabi with 71. No other team has more than 46 points.
Fazza's Nader bin Hendi and Arif al Zafeen are the world champions and won the last race in Sweden. Talib el Sayed and Abdullah al Mehairbi are in the Skydive Dubai boat, and Rashed al Tayer and Giovanni Carpitella are in Team Abu Dhabi.
The Skydive Dubai went on a promotional tour of the area this week, drawing enthusiastic crowds in the both the centre of Milan and outside the Palazzo Reale in Torino. "We are very grateful to Victory Team for allowing us to use one of their raceboats," said the mayor Canio Di Milia.
"It has generated great interest and there really is no better way to promote the event than to have one of these spectacular boats out on display."
After the race this week, the series moves to the UAE for the final two races of the season, in Abu Dhabi in November and in Dubai in December.
* Agencies