Qatar Prepares to Host UIM Class One World Powerboat Championship

Doha, March 12 (QNA) - The Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF) will host its first round of the UIM Class One World Powerboat Championship since 2009. The "Pearl Qatar Grand Prix", the opening round of the world s premier offshore racing series, will kick off next Thursday for three days. The Pearl Qatar Grand Prix has made a welcome return to the championship to coincide with a determined bid for title honours being waged by the QMSF s two Spirit of Qatar boats in the hands of HE Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al Thani and his assistant Steve Curtis, and Ali Al-Neama and his assistant Matteo Nicolini. The QMSF have made changes to the more traditional format of Qatar s previous Class One races. The offshore Grand Prix will now take place on Thursday, March 15th and Saturday, March 17th, instead of the traditional Friday and Saturday dates for the races. The race venue has also moved from Doha Bay and the Corniche to a more challenging course off the coast of the Pearl Qatar. A hectic timetable of activities gets underway with administration, registration and technical scrutineering at the Pearl Qatar on Tuesday afternoon. The first official 90-minute practice of the new season starts on the pole position course on Wednesday morning (March 14th) to enable drivers to prepare for the crucial Edox Pole Position (qualifying) on Wednesday afternoon. After a second official practice session on Thursday morning, race one of the Pearl Qatar Grand Prix will kick off. Friday s timetable includes official practice in the morning, and the boats will then be on display at the Pearl Marina throughout the afternoon. Teams can benefit from a final 90-minute practice session on Saturday morning followed by the longer second race of the Pearl Grand Prix. Commenting on the event, HE QMSF President Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al Thani said: "At the QMSF we have been trying to move the sport to a different level, by creating new events and making it more and more attractive to come and join in." "For that reason, we moved to the Pearl Qatar, as it reflects the new waterfront in Qatar and also the growing marine activities in Qatar and the region as a whole," he said. "For the first time we will be opening the wet pit area to the general public on Friday between 1pm and 5pm for spectators to get close and personal with the boats, teams and drivers and, maybe, get a true insight into what Class 1 looks like up close. There may even be a chance for spectators to be inside the cockpit in one of these machines," he noted. The following is the provisional timetable of Pearl Qatar Grand Prix 2012: Tuesday, March 13th 14.00-16.00 Administration, registration and scrutineering 17.00 Driver briefing Wednesday, March 14th 09.00 Driver course viewing 10.00-11.30 Official practice (pole position course) 14.30-16.00 Edox Pole Position Thursday, March 15th 10.00-11.30 Official practice 15.00 Pearl Qatar Grand Prix race 1 Friday, March 16th 10.00-11.00 Official practice 13.00-17.00 Boats in Pearl Marina Saturday, March 17th 10.00-11.30 Official practice 15.00 Pearl Qatar Grand Prix race 2 (QNA)