Lisbon (Aletihad)
Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashed Al Qemzi recorded another emphatic victory in the Grand Prix of Portugal yesterday to round off his fourth triumphant season in the UIM F2 World Championship.
The Emirati driver was in complete control on the Tegus River circuit at Vila Velha de Ródão as he led from start to finish from pole position to cruise home by 4.8 secs from Portugal’s Duarte Benavente. His third Grand Prix success of the season came a week after he had secured his fourth F2 world title to add to his triumphs in 2017, 2019, and 2021.
Having grabbed pole position with a devastating last lap 24 hours earlier, he was in command from the start today as he won the race to the first turn, and never looked back.
He secured the 17th world championship title Team Abu Dhabi have recorded since Guido Cappellini took charge as team manager eight years ago.
Even two yellow flags in quick succession, and restarts towards the end of the race, could not unsettle Al Qemzi as he underlines his status as an outstanding F2 driver.
His teammate Mansoor Al Mansoori took fifth to finish sixth overall in one of the most fiercely contested championship in recent years. Lithuania’s Edgaras Riabko took the championship silver medal, while there was bronze for Estonia’s Stefan Arand.
While the F2 title was always the top priority this season for Al Qemzi, he will have little time off as he returns to action next weekend.
He joins forces with his cousin, Thani Al Qemzi, in the penultimate round of the 2023 UIM F1H2O World Championship, the Regione Sardegna Grand Prix of Italy in Olbia.
Stepping in for the suspended reigning champion, Shaun Torrente, Rashid is now relishing the opportunity to deliver another world title to the UAE capital.
With the final round in Sharjah, Team Abu Dhabi are third in the team championship, just five points adrift of Team Sweden and two behind Sharjah Team.