Shaun Torrente was crowned UIM 2018 World Championship after today’s Grand Prix of Sharjah. Finishing third in the final race of the season was good enough to ensure his first World Title in the premier circuit racing class.
An extremely enthusiastic Torrente said:
This has been my lifelong dream and ambition. I thank everyone at home in Fort Myers and my amazing team at Team Abu Dhabi.
We had problems the last two races. They (the team) said keep your head up, it will work out. I came from seventh to third and I did just that.
We made it work and we are World Champions together.
What a race. What a restart. I was fighting my mind trying to keep it all together.
I was just managing my race. I knew I was in a good spot. I was just trying to get it home. I got a run on the second restart on Sami (Selio) and I just let it hang.
Thankfully it didn’t blow over. I knew I was there.
I knew I was safe in fourth if it stayed like that. It’s all done now. I couldn’t take another day like that!
The American driver racing for Team Abu Dhabi is the first driver to win an F1H2O and an Offshore World Title in the same year, as he conquered the XCAT World Championship in the Grand Prix of Hangzhou, earlier in October.
His Palmarès counts numerous titles, including the UIM 2017 Endurance World Championship.