Qatar back in Class 1

[shifter]

16/02/2011
QATAR TEAM BACK IN CLASS 1
Wednesday, 16 February: Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani has confirmed that the Qatar Team will return to racing in the UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship to launch a two boat assault on winning the world title.

The announcement is welcome news following the team’s withdrawal from the Championship after the Norwegian Grand Prix in Arendal in 2009, and opting to pursue racing activities in the United States and Australia last season. “The main reason to return to the Class One Championship was based on the major changes in the association and the fact that the series now has a new promoter.” said Sheikh Hassan.

The team will run two Michael Peters-designed, Victory-built hulls powered by Lamborghini V12 power-plants, with Sheikh Hassan confirming that he will resume his partnership with English throttleman Steve Curtis in Qatar 96, who he first teamed-up with in 2008, and that fellow Qatari Ali Al-Neama will partner Italian throttleman Matteo Nicolini in Qatar 95.

Shiekh Hassan made his Class 1 debut in 2003 and has won two Grand Prix and taken six Pole Positions wins, lifting the European Championship alongside Nicolini in 2005.

Throttleman Curtis is the sport’s most successful racer, winning the World title eight times, the European crown four times and the Pole Position Championship seven times, taking 40 Grand Prix wins from his 123 starts between 1992 and 2009.

For Ali Al-Neama the team’s return will see his debut in the Class 1 Championship after a year racing with Sheikh Hassan in the United States and Australia, and for Nicolini the opportunity to add to his tally of three Grand Prix and four Pole Positions wins.

[Ratickle]

That's pretty cool, although it's too bad they won't be back here in the states.

[Pete B]

That's pretty cool, although it's too bad they won't be back here in the states.

The competion model was too much! too many checkered flags!

[Donskihp]

I wonder if theres any chance they'll come back later this year for the Worlds in KW?

[Pete B]

Class 1 usually holds a race in November in Dubai, so I kinda doubt it.

[TYPHOON]

What a shame we are loosing 2 boats. They were good people from what I could tell. I would guess they were looking for more competition. Racing against yourself gets old I bet.
Has anyone learned a lesson yet? We have 36'-42' boats in 4-5 classes with 1-4 boats per class= boooring and confusing. Is it relay that hard to put all these boats in one class with a max speed of approx 135 MPH? Don't racers want more competition?
MD

[Pete B]

losing more than one! as rumor it has WHM is going to race Class 1, Supercat will be looking weak this year, IMO its time for the org to say no more SC and Make SCL & extreme the two I/O Cat classes. and of course The Outboard Cats!

[XtremeRacing]

The plan was to run with the 750/850 class just never happened. I guess if they real wanted to run against other boats they would of made the changes need.

[Dunbar 104]

Pretty simple. 5 boats make a class rule, instead of cash makes a class. I know I'm dreaming.

[shifter]

In 1996 Curtis and Dyke came over with Spirit of Norway. Remember??

One Cougar one Tencara.....We waxed them with Zerodefect.....

Now that the boats in the states have been "Pleasurized" you can see the effect.

Oh I know lets detune the bad boats from europe and slow them down so we look better. Better yet lets get rid of that class so we never get beaten again.

All that had to be done is put the dual carbs back on and turn the rpm up again and they would have had their fun and stayed. Now look at what that has cost.


Do you think they will ever bother showing up again???





pat W

[XtremeRacing]

If they get pissed again like they did a few yrs ago at Victory for beating up on them, they might take their bat and ball and come back again.

Pat dont kid yourself they were here for one reason and one reason only. Really surpised you have been around a while and they even pulled one over on you. If you get a chance talk to some of the Super Cat guys....

[TYPHOON]

No, Why would they? When you own your own country loosing is not a option. I have no idea who was the brain child behind getting them to bring there boats to the US and letting them race against the 850/750 boats. Anyone with a pulse would know the boats were no where equal to the 750/850 teams. More HP,RPM and the boats length and tunnel width. What were the powers to be thinking? Oh I know, do what ever it takes to get more big boats but lets not tell anyone they have to fit in one of the existing classes where there is compatition. We will just make another class for them. Give them the lions share of TV time and try and fool the fans into believeing it was close racing. Pathetic at best! Now go ahead and shoot me
MD

[Pete B]

on the spot MD

[XtremeRacing]

No, Why would they? When you own your own country loosing is not a option. I have no idea who was the brain child behind getting them to bring there boats to the US and letting them race against the 850/750 boats. Anyone with a pulse would know the boats were no where equal to the 750/850 teams. More HP,RPM and the boats length and tunnel width. What were the powers to be thinking? Oh I know, do what ever it takes to get more big boats but lets not tell anyone they have to fit in one of the existing classes where there is compatition. We will just make another class for them. Give them the lions share of TV time and try and fool the fans into believeing it was close racing. Pathetic at best! Now go ahead and shoot me
MD

Pretty damn close Randy, they never wanted to race anyone....They said they wanted to but what they said and did were 2 different things. You cant always win if you are racing someone.

[600sci]

I am pretty new to boating sites, but every time i read on a race page it ends like this. Why?

[TYPHOON]

Ends like what? Racers and fans venting there frustrations that they want less classes. More compatition? More boats per class? Its so simple its stupid! If you dont have at least 5 boats in your class you all move up to the next class until you have at least 5 boats. Yes you will most likely lose every race but until you can gather up more teams suck it up. NOT EVERYONE CAN GET A CHECKARD FLAG.
MD

[XtremeRacing]

Because racers have huge ego's and create the issues. They build boat for classes that dont exist,and they try and put their boats in classes they dont belong . Everyone bitches about not enough boats in a class, and when u combine classes and put boats where they belong,then that doesnt work because they all cant win the same race.

You can point fingers at the Org. all you want but it is the racers, they dont want to just be racers. They want to try and dictate to the Org. what they want when they want it and how they want it. They bitch about the
rules,purse,TV,starts,inspection,cranes,medical, and even the location they get in the pit. Years ago when racers where racers it was a lot more fun and much better racing all around.

Hope that helps to anwser your question...

[imco offshore]

damn frank,,thats good ,,and right,,,

[Team Tsunami]

All I know is that Class 1 is going to be great this year!

[XtremeRacing]

All I know is that Class 1 is going to be great this year!

I hope so they need to do something thats for sure, hopefully they will get it back on track. They have had their share of issues the last few yr, and boat count has suffered.