NEWS CENTRE

Tuesday, 31 July: After opting to sit out the Gabon Grand Prix, Spirit of Qatar’s two-boat line up will be looking to claw back points and reignite their title challenge, with Sheikh Hassan, team principal of Spirit of Qatar and driver of 96 confirming the team will be in Cernobbio, Italy, 21-23 September.

A first win together in Class 1 for Sheikh Hassan and throttleman Steve Curtis in the season-opener in Doha, Qatar in March had put them joint top of the points table with Victory’s Arif Al Zafeen and Mohammed Al Marri. But the Dubai duo’s win in Gabon and additional bonus points has given them a 22-point advantage over their arch-rivals, with UAE neighbours Team Abu Dhabi now up into second place after Rashed Al Tayer and Majed Al Mansoori picked up their third podium of the year last time out.

Teammates Matteo Nicolini and Ali Al Neama, race 1 winners in Cernobbio last season, find themselves relegated to fifth equal with Zabo-Isiklar, behind a resurgent Fendi Racing after Luca Fendi and Giovanni Carpitella picked up their first podium of 2012 in Gabon.