Rashed clinches pole position at Grand Prix of Italy
by Narayan Marar 31 Aug 2024 16:17 BST
Team Abu Dhabi's Mansoor Al Mansoori © Team Abu Dhabi
Team Abu Dhabi's Rashed Al Qemzi gave himself the ideal opportunity to reclaim the lead in the 2024 UIM F2 World Championship title race today by securing pole position for the Grand Prix of Italy.
Making it a perfect day for Team Abu Dhabi, Mansoor Al Mansoori qualified in second position after winning the Q1 and Q2 sessions, and also leading the six-boat Q3 shoot-out before being edged out by his team-mate.
Defending F2 world champion Al Qemzi, bidding to become the first driver to win the crown five times, goes into tomorrow's Grand Prix just four points adrift of Lithuania's Edgaras Riabko, who will start down in fifth place.
Sweden's Mathilda Wiberg, winner of the previous round in Lithuania, is level on points with Al Qemzi, but faces a difficult task tomorrow when she starts behind the two Abu Dhabi boats after qualifying in third place.
It all adds up to a fascinating Sunday in San Nazzaro, with everything to race for ahead of the two remaining rounds of the championship to follow over back-to-back September weekends in Portugal.
Having won in San Nazzaro last year on his way to securing a fourth F2 world crown, Al Qemzi arrived back in Italy with his sights set firmly on a repeat win to lift himself back in front in this year's title battle.
He started well, setting the fastest time in this morning's official practice session, with championship leader Riabko down in eighth position, and Wiberg in third spot.
After clocking the fifth best time, Al Mansoori was quickest over the early part of the afternoon's Q1 session, later dropping several places before recording another best lap to go through in first place, just ahead of Al Qemzi.
The momentum was clearly with Al Mansoori who powered his way through Q2 with another fastest lap to reach the six-boat shoot out ahead of Britain's Palfreymen and Wiberg, with Al Qemzi fourth ahead of Riabko and Frenchman Nelson Morin.
It was a similar story in Q3 as Al Mansoori once again clocked the best early lap, only to be nudged out of pole position by Al Qemzi who now carries the advantage into tomorrow's Grand Prix.