Four-time defending world champion Alex Carella and Ahmed Al Hameli are confident for the opening round of the 2018 UIM F1H2O World Championship in Portimao, Portugal.
Pushed into third and fourth on the start grid by Team Abu Dhabi going into the main race, both Carella and Al Hameli think they could end up on the podium with a little bit of luck.
Alex Carella said after the BRM Qualifying session:
The more time I spend in the boat, the more confident I feel about this new boat.
I am confident we can both climb to the top of the standings as we keep getting better and better with each minute spent inside the new boats.
Everything has been going as per plans and hopefully we can hit the right momentum in the main race.
Backing Alex Carella in the second brand-new boat – fully built and assembled at the team’s facility in Jebel Ali – will be the talented Ahmed Al Hameli. After a life-threatening illness had pushed his powerboat career to the sidelines in 2012, Ahmed Al Hameli is back at his near best in his Boat No. 3.
He said:
I love the fact that we have been competitive with these new boats so early in the season.
I am quite excited going into the start of yet another season.
It has been a brand-new path of growing up with the team and I am confident we can achieve success in our very first season for the new blue boats.
Victory Team Manager Scott Gillman commented:
We are very happy with the results shown by the new boats so far.
Finishing in third and fourth so early in the season with brand-new boats is an early indication of what can come in the future.
We know we can improve, and there is not much left to improve and get to the front. All we need is a little bit of luck to ensure we are there in front of the pack.