Class 1 - Italy Grand Prix

Race 1

Welmax post-race celebrations after their flag-to-finish win in race 1 of the Italian Grand Prix, ahead of Fazza and Primatist-GSG Ceramic Design, were sensationally cut short after being disqualified from the race and this morning’s Edox Pole Position, after the boat failed a post-race scrutinising inspection for an infringement relating to restrictive, blow off valve and air box specifications.

The result hands the win to the defending World Champions, Arif Al Zafeen and Nadir Bin Hendi, extending their lead in the World Championship standings, but crucially putting them into first place in the European Championship points table, one point ahead of Negotiator who finished fifth, with the final race tomorrow.

Guido Cappellini and Marcello Menegatto who improved on their performance in qualifying during the race, jumping Team Abu Dhabi on lap seven, to move from fourth up to third place and pushing Fazza all the way to the finish, to give Cappellini his third podium of the year and Menegatto a first, are elevated to second place.

After a strong start and running in third place for six laps, Team Abu Dhabi hopes of a podium finish on the American’s return to Class 1 began to fade, being passed first by Primatist on lap seven and then two laps later by Skydive Dubai, who are elevated to third place.

ITALIAN GRAND PRIX, RACE 1 - results

1. Welmax - K Selmer (NOR) / J Tandberg (NOR) DQ

2. Fazza - A Al Zafeen (UAE) / N Bin Hendi (UAE) + 00.23,38

3. Primatist - GSG Ceramic Design - G Cappellini (ITA) / M Menegatto (CHE) + 00.27,46

4. Skydive Dubai - A Al Mehairbi (UAE) / T Al Sayed (UAE) + 00.42,92

5. Team Abu Dhabi - R Al Tayer (UAE) / J Tomlinson (USA) + 00.52,10

6. Negotiator - C Parsonage (ENG) / G Carpitella (ITA) + 01.56,61

7. Relekta - P Gaiser (BRA) / C Zaborowski (NOR) + 1 lap

8. Giorgioffshore - T Polli (ITA) / N Giorgi (ITA) + 2 laps

Race 2

Fazza's Arif Al Zafeen and Nadir Bin Hendi produced a champions' drive to win race 2 of the Italian Grand Prix to become the 2010 UIM Class 1 European Champions, with Primatist-GSG Ceramic Design finishing second ahead of Skydive Dubai. It was a clinical performance by the World Champions who mastered the difficult conditions and poor visibility, to complete a flag to finish 18th career win for Al Zafeen and Bin Hendi, and secure an eighth European crown for the Victory Team, completing the 16 lap 64.60Nm course in 39mins 31.20secs at an average speed of 180.25kmh/112.03mph.

But it was the titanic three-way fight for the final podium places between Primatist-GSG Ceramic Design, Skydive Dubai and Welmax, running line-astern and separated by just seconds for over half the race distance, that produced a nail biting and dramatic finish-line incident at the end of the race. After moving up into second place on lap 8, Primatist-GSG Ceramic Design held off a sustained challenge from Skydive Dubai, themselves under severe pressure from a hard charging Welmax, who had moved from eighth on the start line to fourth place. On the penultimate lap, Welmax moved into third place and closed in on Primatist-GSG Ceramic Design when, with the finish line in sight, the Norwegian outfit suddenly slowed, veering off the course with Skydive Dubai crossing the line third place. Both Relekta and Giorgiofshore overcame the conditions to earn valuable points, finishing in fifth and sixth places. There was disappointment for Negotiator stopping on lap thirteen, but classified seventh picking up four points to secure second place in the European Championship for Giovanni Carpitella and Chris Parsonage, and frustration for Rashed Al Tayer and John Tomlinson, whose race ended on lap 9 after running in second place in Team Abu Dhabi.
ITALIAN GRAND PRIX, RACE 2 - results
1. Fazza - A Al Zafeen (UAE) / N Bin Hendi (UAE) 00.39.31,29

2. Primatist - GSG Ceramic Design - G Cappellini (ITA) / M Menegatto (CHE) + 00.15,28

3. Skydive Dubai - A Al Mehairbi (UAE) / T Al Sayed (UAE) + 00.17,52

4. Welmax - K Selmer (NOR) / J Tandberg (NOR) + 00.18,83

5. Relekta - P Gaiser (BRA) / C Zaborowski (NOR) + 1 lap

6. Giorgioffshore - T Polli (ITA) / N Giorgi (ITA) + 3 laps

7. Negotiator - C Parsonage (ENG) / G Carpitella (ITA) + 4 laps

8. Team Abu Dhabi - R Al Tayer (UAE) / J Tomlinson (USA) dnf
UIM CLASS 1 WORLD POWERBOAT CHAMPIONSHIP - after race 8 of 12

1. Fazza - 143pts

2. Skydive Dubai - 110pts

3. Negotiator - 82pts

4. Primatist - GSG Ceramic Design - 72pts

5. Welmax - 41pts

6. Giorgioffshore - 24pts

7. Relekta 20pts

8. Foresti & Suardi - SCAM - 11pts

9. Welmax Alianza - 10pts

10. Team Abu Dhabi - 9pts
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP - after race 6 of 6

1. Fazza - 95pts

2. Negotiator - 78pts

3. Skydive Dubai - 72pts

4. Primatist - GSG Ceramic Design - 51pts

5. Welmax - 29pts

6. Relekta - 18pts

7. Team Abu Dhabi - 9pts

8. Giorgioffshore - 8pts

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