2022 UIM F1 H2O WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Italian Grand Prix of Regione Sardegna, Olbia – October 14-16

OLBIA (SARDINIA): Thursday, October 13  It may only have been three weeks since the last race meeting on the Po River in Italy, but that time has been vital to the Sharjah Team. Technicians have worked around the clock in Busto Arsizio to repair Sami Selio’s damaged Baba in time for this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix of Regione Sardegna.

The team experienced the ultimate highs and lows of international powerboat racing at the second and third rounds of the UIM F1H2O World Championship, with Ferdinand Zandbergen claiming a first career pole and race win and two-time World Champion Sami Selio setting superb lap times only to be denied success by two accidents, the second of which cost him any chance of taking part in the second race.

A focused Selio said: “Even now I still have mixed emotions about the race weekend, especially after seeing the work involved to a fix a crazy amount of damage that could have easily been avoided. It was absolutely great for Zandbergen because that result now shows that the Sharjah Team have two strong drivers capable of getting the job done. For me though, to have a podium place snatched away is still hard to understand.

The flying Finn now has a target of achieving a podium finish in Sardinia this weekend. Way back in 2004, when Scott Gillman won the last race on the island, a young Selio finished second overall at the Grand Prix of Europe in Cagliari.

“To stand next to Scott Gillman was almost like an honour, as he had secured a podium place every year that we race there,” added Selio, who now has a point to prove this weekend. “It’s not easy to get good results as every lap in your entire racing career will be different. That’s what keeps it interesting and that’s all the motivation that is needed.”

Tomorrow (Friday), drivers will be permitted to take part in an extra free practice session on the 1620-metre, eight-pin course adjacent to the Molo Brin pier in Olbia.