PORTO, Portugal - Thursday, July 30, 2015 - Team Abu Dhabi is welcoming back their "favorite son" Thani Al Qemzi, as the 36 year-old driver is set to climb back into the cockpit of a UIM F1 H2O Championship race boat for the first time since December of 2014 at this weekend's 14th Grand Prix of Portugal.
The "hometown hero" who has 15 years racing experience, has made his mark in Portugal, having won the 2009 race in Portimao while recording three podiums and five top-five performances in the 10 races he's run in the country dating back to 2002.
The Abu Dhabi driver will be starting his 112th race and is as excited about his chances of making a good first impression right out off the start dock: "I so excited about this return to a sport that I love so much," said Thani.
"I look back on all the wonderful times I've had racing in Portugal and their great fan support that I know this weekend will be something special for everyone."
"The series has changed drastically since I first started racing in 2000. In those first years, it was always a battle between Scott (Gillman) and Guido (Cappellini) for the win, but today, as many as eight different drivers could easily take a victory. This shows how really open the championship is and makes it that much better for everyone."
It took Thani until 2003 to earn his first podium top-three finish. Since that historic day in Germany, he followed that up by recording his first pole and then win at the Grand Prix of Sharjah in 2006. Thani has totaled seven career victories and accumulated 669.5 points over the years, with his best season being in 2009 when he was runner-up in the title chase losing to his new boss Gudio Cappellini of Italy who now General Manager of Team Abu Dhabi.
"It's funny how at one time Guido and I were fighting for victories and now he is running the team and I am still racing," said Thani. "I don't feel I am rusty, even though I haven't won in nine races and have only raced three times in the last 19 months. Once I jump into the boat on Friday for free practice I know I'll get my "racing face" back on and start setting a good pace for my team."
Team Abu Dhabi has won five of the 13 previous Grand Prix's in Portugal with American Scott Gillman taking the first two for the team in 2004 and 2007. Thani Al Qamzi won his at the second race of 2009 while his then teammate Ahmed Al Hameli capturing a pair taking race one of 2009 and winning again in 2010.
All told, Team Abu Dhabi hopes to continue it's trend of success, having dominated recently, winning four of the last six events in Portugal. Thani, with his return just made the odds better that this trend could continue this weekend on the Douro River.
The 14th Grand Prix of Portugal begins its journey with official qualifying on Saturday the first of August with three sessions to determine Sunday's starting grid.
The Q1 session kicks things off starting at 16:30 local (15:30 GMT) while the Grand Prix on the second of August is scheduled for a 17:15 local (16:15 GMT) and 12:15 EDT on the East Coast of North America for the third round of the 2015 UIM F1 H2O World Championship for powerboating.
Both qualifying and the Grand Prix can be followed by going to the tours official website at www.f1h2o.com. The worldwide television broadcast feed is available for live viewing on the website as well.
Be In The Know - With F1 H2O!
