Team AD’s reigning world champions primed for tough test in China

Abu Dhabi: Team Abu Dhabi’s Shaun Torrente and Faleh Al Mansoori are primed for a crucial test in China this weekend as they look to tighten their grip on a second successive XCAT World Championship crown.

The reigning world champions, who lead the 2019 series after winning the opening round in Italy, face three races in as many days in the Shanghai Grand Prix knowing that the title race could effectively be won or lost before December’s final round in Dubai.

The added incentive for Torrente and Mansoori in Abu Dhabi 4 is to keep Team Abu Dhabi on course for a unique quadruple world powerboat racing triumph this season.

Torrente was a member of the four-man crew who captured the World Endurance Championships in Poland, as was Rashed Al Qemzi who has already clinched his second UIM F2 World Championship title in three years

Meanwhile defending champion Torrente leads the F1H20 World Championship which climaxes in Sharjah in December

“This has already been a very successful season for us and as a team we have the chance to achieve much more,” said Salem Al Remeithi, General Manager of Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club.

“But it’s important to take things one step at a time, especially here in China with such a packed race weekend and so much at stake.”

Rashed Al Tayer and Majed Al Mansoori in Abu Dhabi 5 will also be looking to make an impact in the Shanghai Grand Prix, with official practice getting underway on Thursday.

The single pole position session for the weekend roars to life in morning on Friday with Race 1 of the Shanghai Grand Prix getting underway at 2.30pm.

The outcomes of the two spectacular Censtar Grand Prix in Xiamen in China means the title race will be a straight two-way showdown at the final round of the year in Sharjah in December between Shaun Torrente and Jonas Andersson.

With two races in 24hrs the Xiamen weekend was always primed to define the title race and it didn’t disappoint, a raft of possible  title challengers, mathematically at least, was whittled down to nine drivers after the first race with just two left standing after the second.

Defending champion Torrente had a wobble in the first qualifying and race session, missing the cut in Q2 finishing fourth in the race, his place at the top of the standings grabbed with both hands by Andersson after finishing second.