Shaun Torrente gave Dubai’s Victory Team the ideal start to the UIM F1H2O World Championship season after taking pole position for the Regione Sardegna Grand Prix of Italy.
The American, driving Victory 1, set the fastest time in qualifying in Cagliari on Friday evening, clocking 42.533 seconds before Saturday’s main race.
He followed that by winning the first sprint race of the weekend, completing 17 laps ahead of Team China’s Peter Morin. Bartek Marszalek, racing for Stromoy Racing, finished third.
The sprint win gave Torrente his first 10 points of the new season and put Victory Team in a strong position at the opening round.
It was also a good qualifying session for the UAE-backed teams.
Team Sharjah filled second and third through Rusty Wyatt and Stefan Arand. Wyatt posted 42.727 seconds, with Arand close behind on 42.807. Grant Trask, also racing for Team Sharjah, was sixth in 43.297.
Erik Stark, Torrente’s teammate at Victory Team, finished ninth in qualifying with a time of 44.191 seconds.
Team Abu Dhabi had Jonas Andersson in 10th after a lap of 44.257. Alec Weckström was 14th in 46.645, while Emirati driver Rashed Al Qemzi placed 15th in 46.980.
Mohammed Harib, CEO of Dubai International Marine Club and head of the Victory delegation, said Torrente’s pole position and sprint race win showed the work the team had done before the season opener.
The main race in Cagliari now gives Victory Team a chance to turn Friday’s speed into an early championship lead.
