ABU DHABI - 22 April, 2014 - Three-time defending UIM F1 H2O World Champion Alex Carella of Italy leads a large list of past and current drivers of the series as they travel to northern France for the upcoming 51st 24 Hours of Rouen in France scheduled for the 1st and the 2nd of May.
The driver from the Qatar Team, who opened up the season with a win at his teams home waters in Doha, at the Grand Prix of Qatar back on the 15th of March, now joins fellow current and UIM F1 H2O alumni drivers for something a little different, endurance racing.
"Rouen is always something a little different than what I'm used to in F1," said the 28 year-old. "It's different in that you run at a bit slower and more cautious pace while sharing the driving with three other teammates. Sometimes it's more of an obstacle course while you're ducking out of the way of river traffic as well. Racing in France is always a treat however and it should be fun again this year."
The circuit, which is situated on the River Seine, runs thru the center of this historic city with crowds of close to 400,000 expected to watch during the classic two day event which dates back to 1964 and features three different classes of inshore catamaran powerboats.
Alex, who is starting his fifth full season in F1, earned his ninth career F1 victory and his first win in Doha six weeks ago. The young Italian will join three other veteran Russian endurance drivers on the New Star Racing Team in Classe 2.
A year ago, Carella won the overall event, driving with fellow F1 driver Philippe Chiappe of the CTIC China organization when they teamed up during this most unique powerboat race.
This year the veteran Chiappe, will team up with an all-French crew driving his MOORE hull with Mercury power. He's chasing yet another Rouen title this time for the favored Nollet Racing group racing in the most powerful Classe 3 boat.
Also expected to run is current F1 H2O driver Duarte Benavente of Portugal, who is third in the current championship after Doha, in the Team Privilege DAC hull with three French endurance pilots in Classe 2.
Joining in the race in Class 2 is F1 driver Bartek Marszalek of Poland, who scored an eighth place in the opening event teaming up with on the Balt Yacht Team with familiar F1 alumni driver Stanislav Kourtsenovsky of Russia along with two Latvian drivers.
Finally, the only father-son combination from France ever to race on the F1 H2O tour, Jean-Vital Deguisne and son Cedric Deguisne will attempt another overall victory driving in the Classe 3 Autovision-Tullio Abbate sponsored boat.
As the UIM F1 H2O World Championship tour awaits their next round, the drivers are enjoying other events in order to stay in "racing shape" during the short recess.
The historic city of Rouen, the capital of the Haute-Normandie region in the North of France and where Joan of Arc was idolized after being burnt to death in May of 1431 is a perfect place to get racing laps in to stay sharp.
The 24 Hours of Rouen will start on the 1st of May at 10:00 and run till 23:00. It will resume on the 2nd of May at 07:00 and be completed by the 18:00 for it's 51st running.
You can stay in touch with all the news of the UIM F1 H2O World Championship by going to the tours official website at www.f1h2o.com.
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