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Serious News
06-24-2015, 09:52 PM
Dubai’s Class 1 powerboating champions recruit Torrente ahead of Lake Geneva debut
Published: 19:45 June 24, 2015 Gulf News
By Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter

Dubai: Dubai’s Class 1 World Powerboat Champions Victory Team have targeted another world title after entering the realm of Formula One racing in the UIM F1 H2O World Championship.

Victory Team, founded in 1992, are one of the most successful teams in Class 1 powerboat racing with eight world crowns to their name. And since the formation of the World Professional Powerboat Association (WPPA) in 2008, they have been successfully involved with XCAT powerboat racing, which is safer, more economical and more environmentally-friendly.

But F1 racing is perhaps the most spectacular brand in watersport, being described as like driving an F1 race car at full speed over a ploughed field. F1 boats even accelerate faster than F1 cars, reaching a speed of 160km/h in only four seconds.

Though this discipline has been popular for more than two decades, it is only now that the Dubai-based team will compete — starting with this weekend’s second race of the season on Lake Geneva at Evian-les-Bains, France.

Their participation came about when American world champion Shaun Torrente was left without a race seat following the disbanding of his Qatar F1 outfit.

“Shaun will now race under the Victory Team banner. When we saw a world champion being displaced, the most reasonable thing was to put together a programme for him,” Arif Al Zafein, Victory Team’s executive director, told Gulf News.

“He will compete for the first time with Victory in France.”

The 2015 season got under way in Doha in March, when the 36-year-old Miami-born Torrente opened with a win in his Baba-built boat.

“At Victory we are excited to join something new. For the first race in France, a top-five finish would be good, but the challenge will always be to reach the peak as soon as possible. We would be looking at being world champions in F1 within the next five years,” Al Zafein added.

Though starting off with just one boat on the F1 circuit, the plan will be to introduce Emirati drivers under the tutelage of Torrente.

“For the time-being we are happy with Shaun entering the Victory fold. But building and developing a new boat and drivers will be the next target for us at Victory. Shaun’s experience will definitely be an asset for us,” Al Zafein said.

Team Manager Ragesh Elayadeth was pleased to welcome Torrente. “He has the experience and a fantastic work ethic and I am sure the positives will help us set higher targets in the world of powerboat racing,” he said.

“We have very little time on our hands to get everything in order for the next race in France. But we have the expertise and know-how to rise to the challenge and make things possible.”

http://gulfnews.com/sport/boat-racing/victory-team-target-more-honours-in-f1-racing-1.1540433