The penultimate round of the 2023 UIM F2 World Championship got underway today in Peso Da Régua, Portugal.
15 of the World’s Top F2 Powerboat Racers undertook a 90 minute free practice session this morning as they set their boats up for the Qualifying sessions in the afternoon.
As the drivers all began to get to grips with the course the lap times began to dwindle. Giacomo Sacchi Posted the first lap time ahead of Norway’s Tobias Munthe-Kaas. 30 minutes into the session the championship leader Rashed Al Qemzi barrel rolled out of the session leaving the Abu Dhabi team with a race against the clock to get his boat back on the water for qualifying.
Qualification dawned and ever the professionals Rashed was back on the water with minutes to spare and it wasn’t long before he began working his way back up the table keeping his championship dreams alive.
Portugal’s Duarte Benavente was the fastest boat during Qualifying 2 and was the first boat to head into Qualifying 3 joined by Giacomo Sacchi, Edgaras Riabko, Rashed Al Qemzi, Stefan Arand and Mansoor Al Mansoori.
Q3 would see the 6 boats with 15 minutes to fight for the Pole Position. Throughout the session pole position changed hands throughout the 15 minute session but it was Lithuania’s Edgaras Riabko that nailed the perfect lap to secure Pole Position for the Grand Prix of Peso Da Régua.
On the his first Pole Position Edgaras had this to say “I was looking for the perfect lap, my radioman said it was now or never it was that lap and the persistence paid off!”
He continued “I’m really pleased to have secured pole but it means nothing if we can’t convert it into the win during the Grand Prix tomorrow.”
Attentions turns to tomorrow’s Warm up and the inaugural Grand Prix of Peso Da Régua tomorrow afternoon!.
