SHARJAH (UAE): Friday, December 16:  Thani Al-Qemzi bounced back from his qualifying disappointment to set the fastest time in the second free practice session for the Road to Sharjah Grand Prix of Sharjah on Friday morning. 

 After qualifying ninth, the Emirati will move up to seventh on the start pontoon after rivals, Alberto Comparato, Bartek Marszalek and Peter Morin, all carried out engine changes and have been demoted to the back of the pack. 

 Al-Qemzi ran for just seven laps in the session and a best run of 48.76sec was sufficient to edge out pole-sitter Jonas Andersson and Sami Selio, the latter recovering well from the starter coil issues that plagued his qualifying. Selio will now start the race from fifth. 

Everyone except for Marit Strømøy took to the water, with the F1 Atlantic Team’s Duarte Benavente running for 12 laps and Ben Jelf getting another 30 laps of experience and a best run of 54.93sec after the trim issues that plagued his progress on Thursday. Gillman Racing’s Filip Roms suffered technical issues on his opening lap and that put paid to the session. 

The Road to Sharjah Grand Prix of Sharjah fires into life at 3pm (UAE time).

2022 Road to Sharjah Grand Prix of Sharjah – free practice (Friday): 

1.Thani Al-Qemzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi                                      48.76sec

2.Jonas Andersson (SWE) Team Sweden                                      48.87sec

3.Sami Selio (FIN) Sharjah Team                                                     48.99sec

4.Phillipe Chiappe (FRA) China CTIC Team                                   49.67sec

5.Shaun Torrente (USA) Team Abu Dhabi                                      50.04sec

6.Kalle Viippo (FIN) Team Sweden                                                 50.13sec 

7.Ferdinand Zandbergen (NLD) Sharjah Team                              50.17sec

8.Alberto Comparato (ITA) Comparato F1                                     50.31sec

9.Alec Weckström (FIN) Gillman Racing                                        50.50sec

10.Cédric Deguisne (FRA) Maverick Racing                                  52.55sec

11.Duarte Benavente (POR) F1 Atlantic Team                               53.03sec

12.Peter Morin (FRA) China CTIC Team                                        53.24sec

13.Alexandre Bourgeot (FRA) Maverick Racing                           53.65sec

14.Ben Jelf (GBR) F1 Atlantic Team                                              54.93se

15.Bartek Marszalek (POL) Strømøy Racing F1H2O Team         1min 38.19sec

16.Paulo Longhi (ITA) Comparato F1                                            1min 56.26sec

17.Filip Roms (FIN) Gillman Racing                                               12min 22.88sec

18.Marit Strømøy (NOR) Strømøy Racing F1H2O Team             DNS