Saturday, June 7: Several F1H2O drivers have been preparing for the first round of the UIM F1H2O World Championship in very different ways as the clock ticks down to the equipment being shipped from Italy to southeast Asia for the opening round of this year’s series on Indonesia’s Lake Toba on August 22nd-24th.
Team Abu Dhabi recently carried out a two-day training camp at San Nazzaro in Italy under the supervision of team manager Guido Cappellini. Both Thani Al-Qamzi and Erik Stark underwent rigorous performance testing, where the team tried several propeller types, refined steering set-ups and carried out a full review of start and turn procedures. The team based out of the ADMSC in Abu Dhabi suffered a disappointing season in 2024 and is keen to bounce back in style this year.
Stark finished the session strongly and, according to Team Abu Dhabi, was two seconds faster than his team-mate, while Al-Qamzi also tested a newly-designed driver’s seat that has been manufactured at the team’s Italy workshop. Cappellini was happy with the two days and said that the team will now focus on mental and logistical preparations for the new season.
Al-Qamzi said: “Training in San Nazzaro was vital for fine-tuning every element before the season begins. I felt a noticeable improvement in boat number five’s responsiveness and we’re working together with great energy and ambition.”
It has been a busy period for 10-time World Champion Cappellini who, last weekend, broke a 20-year speed record at a long-distance endurance race on the Po River in Italy with a Team Abu Dhabi DAC. He completed the 400-kilometre route in 1hr 41min 45sec an at average speed of 207.26km/h.
Meanwhile, both Marit Strømøy and Bartek Marszalek have been busy away from the adrenalin-fuelled racing cockpit working on two very different projects in recent days. Marszalek has been involved in the ‘Safely with Mazovia’ project, organised by the Sports and Tourism Museum in Warsaw. They held an event on the city beach in Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki. Bartek met with young enthusiasts to share insights on water safety.
The project promotes safety and active lifestyles across the Mazovia region through workshops and educational events, including first aid training and safety lessons for road and sport activities. Bartek was joined by Anna Brzezińska, a Mazovia regional board member, to showcase the museum’s collaboration with local schools and communities. The initiative is backed by Mazovia, the Heart of Poland, and was supported by the Mayor of Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki.
His team-mate Marit Strømøy has been working in Norway on a UIM class for young drivers for the first time with the Tvedestrand Racing Club. Marit was impressed with the talent on display with one young girl racer being faster than her male rivals. “Tvedestrand is the same place I had my very first race 36 years ago,” said the Norwegian on her social media post.
After breaking a 41-year-old powerboat record recently on Oulton Broad, Ben Jelf’s F1 Atlantic Team have been fine tuning his set-up for the forthcoming season and the boat and equipment left the UK this week en route to Italy.
