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motonautica
GP of Abu Dhabi Qualifying Session UAE 8 dicembre 2005 GILLMAN EASILY TAKES 4TH POLE IN ABU DHABI! CAPPELLINI & SELIO READY FOR BATTLE FROM 2ND & 3RD! The American from Los Angeles is starting his 79 career race and his 8th on his home course in Abu Dhabi looking for his 2nd win here and his first in 2005. "We feel really comfortable on these waters since this is actually on our practice course throughout the year," stated Gillman. "We just want to shake our bad luck since we have led every event this season but have failed to capture a victory. Maybe tomorrow our luck will change." Italian Guido Cappellini is hoping to take home his 9th career World Championship here and a 2nd place will do the trick with just one event to go next weekend on the 16th at the Grand Prix of Sharjah. Cappellini did a 51.11 as he chased Gillman all day in the battle for the pole position. In the shootout Cappellini tried to hard on the first of two laps before settling down to get a fine 2nd place start. "We obviously wanted pole but we are happy where we are and if we finish in 2nd we can take the prize that we started at the beginning of the season to do and that is recapture the title," stated Guido. "We will see how the pace of the race is and let it dictate our plans as the race goes on. It will be a long battle I believe." The closest of three other drivers to have any hope for the title in 2005 is Finnish driver Sami Selio in his Selio F1 Team machine as he took 3rd with a 51.91 second lap. He must do what he has come close but never accomplished, that is to take victory in a F1 race. "It's all or nothing tomorrow, stated Sami. "Now it's all to the wall but I don't at the same time want to hurt my chances of finishing in the top 3 in the championship by doing something stupid. Let's just race and find out." Fourth quickest was Saudi driver Laith Pharaon who has a pair of wins in the Abu Dhabi event and likes racing here and once again showed it with his 53.09 second lap. Laith, like Gillman doesn't have a shot at the title, but would love to win here for his 3rd time in a row. Young driver Ivan Brigada in his 2nd race of the year and teammate of Cappellini on the Tamoil F1 Team did an impressive 53.12 and will begin from the 5th position his 2nd top 6 of his career. Italian Fabio Comparato of the Doctor Glass sponsored DAC boat had a disappointing 6th place only as his boat stopped right in the middle of his first of two laps in the top-6 shootout to slid from 3rd quickest after two qualifying sessions to 6th. French driver Philippe Dessertenne 4th in the championship with 30 points and still in the championship picture just missed making the top 6 and will be forced into a momentous start if he wants any chance in the title with a pair of wins after doing a 54.07 in qualifying. Gillman's teammate and Abu Dhabi native Thani Al Qamzi came up with his best qualifying effort of the season with a 54.09 average and hopes to finish on the podium at home for 3rd time in his career. Italian Massimo Roggiero who has had good success with two podiums and 4 top-5's will be in the 9th position with a 54.12. Rounding out the top 10 is disappointed driver Francesco Cantando of the Singha F1 Team as the two time winner of the event came in with a 54.21 average. Of note newcomer Chris Fairchild of the Danita Team was 12th quickest in his first ever event with a 54.39 second average in two qualifying sessions for the Chicago native who finished 4th in the North American ChampBoat Racing Series in 2005. Twenty-three drivers will take the 15:00 local time 10:00 GMT and 6:00 EST on the East Coast of North America, start for the 13th Annual Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi and when the day is over, possibly we will have a new world champion in Guido Cappellini for the 9th time in his career. Philippe Stiernon F1 Press Officer
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