New modifications in UIM F1H2O World Championship’s final round in Sharjah
UIM F1H2O, the promoter and organiser of the ‘UIM F1H2O World Championship’, announced new modifications to the “Grand Prix of Sharjah” of the 22nd edition of the UIM F1H2O World Championship, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, and Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council, between December 8-10.
Organised by the Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), the modifications on the ‘Grand Prix of Sharjah’ affects the qualification system and the pole positions in the last race. Two sprint races were added on Saturday, December 9, to give drivers more time to improve their pole positions in the main race and to give enthusiasts and sports lovers a chance to view their favourite teams and drivers live on Sharjah’s Khalid Lagoon and global television channels broadcasting the event.
UIM F1H2O Racing tested these new modifications during the Grand Prix of Italy held in Sardinia island “Regione Sardegna” to meet the needs of the 20 competing boats vying for the round title. These modifications will officially be adopted at the season’s finale in Sharjah.
December 8
The final leg of the world championship begins on December 8 at 15:00 with a 1-hour free practice session on the new “Khalid Lagoon” track.
December 9
The international event continues with BRM Qualifications F1H2O at 09:30 on December 9, consisting of three qualifying stages. The first stage determines the 12 fastest boats qualified for the second stage, which reveals the six fastest boats qualified for the third and final stage.
The format then changes for two sprint races on Saturday afternoon, starting at 15:00 and 15:35, respectively. The line-up for Sprint race 1 will feature the boats that qualified fastest, fourth, fifth, eighth, ninth, 12th, 13th, 16th, 17th, 20th and 21st in the three qualifying sessions. Sprint race 2 will feature boats that qualified second, third, sixth, seventh, 10th, 11th, 14th, 15th, 18th, 19th and 22nd. The two races determine the top five fastest boats in each category, allowing them to start in the top 10 post positions in the Grand Prix of Sharjah on Sunday.
Sunday morning free practice
On Sunday morning at 10:00, the free practice session takes place in the traditional format, lasting one hour, enabling team engineers and technicians to assist drivers in finding the ideal settings for their boats in preparation for the main race.
The final leg of the 22nd edition of the UIM F1H2O World Championship
The last round of the 22nd edition of the UIM F1H2O World Championship race kicks off at 14:45 with the second and final traditional parade lap, where all boats start according to their pole positions secured during the Sprint Race. It serves as the final test lap to ensure the readiness of the boats for the ‘Grand Prix of Sharjah,’ which kicks off at 15:00, spanning the new 2057-meter course on Khalid Lagoon. The event concludes at 15:40 with the announcement of the winner of the last round of the 22nd edition of the UIM F1H2O World Championship at 15:45.
“Grand Prix of Sharjah” timeline:
Friday, December 8
09:00 – 10:00 Teams Registration
09:45 – 14:00 Technical scrutineering F1H2O
15:00 – 16:00 Free Practice 1 F1H2O
Saturday, December 9
09:00 – 09:30 Drivers Briefing F1H2O
09:30 – 10:30 BRM Qualifications F1H2O
15:00 – 15:20 Sprint Race 1 (including Parade Lap)
15:35 – 15:55 Sprint Race 2 (including Parade Lap)
Sunday, December 10
10:00 – 11:00 Free Practice 2 F1H2O
14:45 Parade Lap F1H2O
15:00 – 15:40 Grand Prix of Sharjah
15:45 Prize Giving Ceremony
Details of the new track for the “Grand Prix of Sharjah” racing circuit:
Location: Khalid Lagoon
Length of Each Lap: 2,057 meters
Turning Points: 5 points (four in red colour, – one in yellow colour)
Participating Boats: 22 boats
Longest straight racing line: 585 meters (parallel to Khalid Lagoon’s corniche)
Shortest straight racing line: 260 meters (between the first and second turns)