BRASILIA, Brazil (Thursday, May 30) - As the drivers from all corners of the globe converge on the capital city of Brazil here in Brasilia on Lake Paranoa for the opening round of the 2013 UIM F1 H2O World Championship for power-boating this weekend on the 1st and 2nd of June, the key for success will most probably come from the engine turner who can solve the puzzle of "high altitude tuning."
The racing paddock and event complex along Lake Paranoa is close to 1,200 meters (4,000 feet) in altitude and the power-plants, the V-6 Mercury six cylinder engines for the modern F1 boats, which normally top out to close to 400 horsepower at sea level, will lose at least 13% of their peak performance because of the altitude which is significant.
Engine tuners from the United States, Canada and Europe are here this weekend trying to adjust the engine "brain" which controls the temperature, humidity, vapor and barometric pressures and density altitude. Most haven't been sitting idol but are now hoping their mathematic projections produce winning results.
One of the two men with the most experience of high altitude racing has to be Qatar Team engine guru Brendan Power of Clearwater, Florida. This transported Australian has steered his driver Alex Carella to two back to back World Championships. At the same time has produced successful race engines for drivers in America at the Windsor, Colorado a racing circuit which has an altitude of some 1,500 meters which is close to a mile (5,000 feet) in height just outside of Denver along the Rocky Mountains.
"I think my experience over the years for preparing engines for a race that is 1,500 meters in height is going to help me this weekend here in Brasilia working with Alex's and Shaun's (Torrente's) set-up," said Brendan.
"These definitely aren't your usual "standard conditions" here this weekend. I've spent a lot of my time over the winter planning for the formula that we hope will put us a leg up and be at the front in qualifying as well as the race."
Brendan's new neighbor on Florida's West Coast, Torrente, said, "Brendan is serious about this project, I was on my way to the airport earlier this week for the race here and Brendan was still working hard on his workshop "dyno" tweaking out a few more horsepower."
Team Abu Dhabi engine tuner and ex-Mercury designer Ron Anderson wrote the book on these power plants knowing a thing or two to say the least after helping to develop the concept. With all this knowledge, don't be surprised to see his two drivers Thani Al Qamzi and recently returning Ahmed Al Hameli pushing for pole position and an outright win here on the six-pin 2,200 meter circuit.
The opening round of the 2013 UIM F1 H2O World Championship and the inaugural Grand Prix of Brazil takes to the water for practice and qualifying on Saturday the 1st of June with the battle for pole beginning at 15:00 local (18:00 GMT) and the Grand Prix the following day at 11:00 local (14:00 GMT).
All the stories along with the live "world feed" from the television broadcast can be scene in their entirety by going to the official website of the UIM F1 H2O World Championship at www.f1h2o.com.
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