\n
\nABU DHABI: Team Abu Dhabi\u2019s Thani Al-Qemzi says he will give everything to secure a dream title triumph when the 2022 UIM F1H2O World Championship reaches a grand finale in Sharjah at the weekend.<\/p>\n
\nChasing a maiden F1H2O drivers\u2019 crown, the Emirati heads into the Grand Prix of Sharjah double header needing to wipe out a nine-point lead held by teammate Shaun Torrente, and hold off a big challenge from Sweden\u2019s reigning champion, Jonas Andersson, another nine points away in third.<\/p>\n
\nAl-Qemzi, a three-time winner on Khalid Lagoon, is relishing the opportunity to end his 20-year wait to be crowned world champion on home waters in the UAE, and to give Team Abu Dhabi a fifth consecutive team title.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI hope this is the season where I achieve my goal to become world champion,\u201d said the veteran driver. \u201cIt will be difficult, but I\u2019ll be giving everything to achieve the dream.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cKhalid Lagoon is one of the most beautiful places where we race, and one of the best circuits for me. It gives you options, and racing is always very fast. Of course, I want to win for myself, but I also want to work with Shaun to secure the team title again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nAl-Qemzi gave himself a fighting chance with a superb victory in the penultimate round of the championship in Italy in October.<\/p>\n
\nHis first target is to clinch a record-breaking fourth Grand Prix victory in Sharjah on Friday to set up a dramatic climax in Sunday\u2019s final race of the season.<\/p>\n
\nTorrente, who claimed his 2018 and 2019 world titles in dramatic style in Sharjah without winning the final Grand Prix, followed up victories in France and Italy with two more podiums to top this season\u2019s standings.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI\u2019ve had a really amazing season,\u201d said the 2016 winner in Sharjah. \u201cI\u2019ve been on the podium in every race, and if I continue like that, I have an excellent chance of a third world championship.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI love racing in Sharjah. But at the same time, Thani and Jonas have both had success there.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWe\u2019ve all won races there, so it\u2019s very interesting. Obviously, I would like to win the first race and really lock it down, and maybe even clinch the championship, but we\u2019ll just see how it goes.<\/p>\n
\nIn the buildup to Sharjah, Torrente and Al-Qemzi have undergone intensive training together in Abu Dhabi under the guidance of team manager Guido Cappellini.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThani is my closest rival, but we\u2019re going to maintain our friendship and rivalry within the team and push each other,\u201d said Torrente. \u201cIf anybody else is going to win the title, I want it to be Thani. But I want my third title really badly, and I\u2019ll push hard to get it.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cJonas will always be a threat until he is mathematically eliminated. We\u2019ll just take it one race at a time and hopefully come out on top and win the championship.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nThe 2022 UIM F1H2O World Championship leading points positions are: Shaun Torrente (UAE) 64, Thani Al-Qemzi (UAE) 55, Jonas Andersson (Sweden) 46, Ferdinand Zandbergen (Netherlands) 34, Alec Weckstrom (Finland) 30, Peter Morin (France) 21.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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