Ten countries - 24 drivers - 20 boats confirmed

ABU DHABI - Wednesday, 26 October: H2O Racing will roll out twenty boats for the launch of its new international powerboat series, F1H2O Nations Cup, which takes place on Singapore’s spectacular Marina Bay on the 18-20 November.

The inaugural event to launch the 2012 UIM F1H2O Nations Cup World Championship sees twenty-four drivers representing ten countries, with Brazil, Brunei, Finland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the host nation Singapore and the United Arab Emirates fielding two drivers, Hungary and Malaysia three and South Africa arriving in force with four.

H2O Racing’s president Nicolò di San Germano confirmed the ten-country, 20 boat fleet and 24-strong driver line-up to the sports 55 national authorities attending the 84th UIM General Assembly held at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi last week. “Our target was always ten countries and we are delighted to have received the support of the National Authorities to achieve our goal and to be in a position to launch what will be a truly exciting new format and formula of powerboat racing,” he said, adding. “Singapore’s Marina Bay is a fitting and spectacular location to launch our series and I would like to express my thanks to the Singaporean Authorities and the event organiser Maxit International.”

Devised by Nicolò di San Germano, F1H2O Nations Cup introduces a new format and approach to the spectacular and unpredictable sport of inshore circuit racing, placing the emphasis fully on team participation and country success, rather than that of individual driver ability and success.

Each National team is backed by its UIM sanctioned National Authority and will run two boats, with two to four drivers sharing practice, qualifying and racing responsibilities over a three day Grand Prix weekend.

All drivers will compete in identical stock boats powered by identical engines and propellers which will be drawn for at the start of each race weekend, with the winner no longer being the strongest individual driver or achiever, but the Nation whose driver-combination amasses the most points – their best three results of four from the match race and race to count.

F1H2O Nations Cup is seen as an affordable way for new teams and drivers to compete internationally, and also giving Nations the opportunity to introduce and develop up-and-coming talented young drivers.

The boats are owned and managed by H2O Racing at their headquarters in Abu Dhabi and leased-out to teams.

The single-seater tunnel-hull catamarans are capable of breathtaking acceleration, high speeds and exceptional manoeuvrability. Each boat is approximately six metres in length, two metres wide, weighs 455kgs and powered by a 2.5litre, 225HP Mercury Optimax 200XS SST engine.

The 24 drivers lining-up on Marina Bay bring together a mix of talent with a diversity of racing experience from monohull and circuit racing to X-Cat and Class 1, but all will start as relative ‘rookies’ for their first competitive outing in F1H2O Nations Cup and will be relying on each other for a collective team performance to win the F1H2O Nations Cup Singapore Grand Prix for their country.

Teams have two practice sessions on Friday (11.00-13.00hrs) and Saturday (09.45-10.30hrs) to familiarise themselves with their raceboats and the circuit, followed by official qualifying (11.00-12.00hrs) which will denote the pairings in the F1H2O Nations Cup match race (15.30-17.30hrs) and line-up for the Grand Prix. A third practice session on Sunday morning (09.45-10.30hrs) is followed by the F1H2O Nations Cup Singapore Grand Prix in the afternoon (16.00-17.00).

F1H2O NATIONS CUP
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ALL RACEBOATS

Media enquiries: Nigel Quilter
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