Abu Dhabi’s Al Qemzi up against Lithuania’s Riabko in 2023 UIM F2 World Championship
Rashed Al Qemzi, Team Abu Dhabi’s triple world champion, is targeting a new title fight as he bids for a fourth title in the 2023 UIM F2 World Championship on August 13, 2023, in Klaipeda, Lithuania.
The event began on August 12, 2023, with 19 of the world’s best powerboat racers competing on the Baltic Sea coast for the first round of the 2023 championship.
Steering an all-new DAC in the opening round of the Grand Prix of Lithuania series, Al Qemzi had to be content with fourth place in qualifying as Monaco’s Giacomo Sacchi snatched pole position ahead of Estonian rookie Stefan Arand and Norway’s Tobias Munthe-Kaas.
With the Formula 2 powerboats at times bouncing over surly waves stirred by the wind, Team Abu Dhabi’s Mansoor Al Mansoori qualified in sixth place in the qualifying shootout.
Al Qemzi, who wrapped up Grand Prix victories in Lithuania in 2017 and 2019 now looks to summon up a big challenge from the August 13 race start to give himself the chance of another victory.
Home challenger
The Emirati is up against Lithuania’s very own Edgaras Riabko who is looking for a home advantage move in the 2023 championship, and after he finished fourth in the 2022 championship.
It was always going to be a difficult day to start the new season, with the race organisers being forced to move the course away from the harshest conditions in Klaipeda, the city on the Baltic Sea.
With the rough waters troubling all the drivers and making racing very much a test of nerve, Al Qemzi set the fastest time in the first qualifying session ahead of Mette Bjerknæs and team-mate Al Mansoori.
In conditions showing no sign of easing, Al Mansoori and Al Qemzi moved into the six-boat qualifying shoot-out in fourth and fifth spots.
Halfway through the final qualifying session Al Qemzi held the fastest time, before losing it after a yellow flag briefly halted proceedings because of a problem with the timing system.
Winds churning up high rollers made the free practice session a battle of the brave, and both Al Qemzi and Al Mansoori were third- and fourth-fastest.
