2009 F1 Powerboat World Championship Explained

The 2009 UIM F1 H₂O World Championship was the 26th season of Formula 1 Powerboat racing. The calendar consisted of sixteen races, two per event, beginning in Portimão, Portugal on 4 April 2009, and ending in Sharjah, UAE on 11 December 2009.^[1] The format of two races per weekend was a new feature for 2009, introduced by series promoter Nicolo di San Germano at the official pre-season meeting in March.^[2] Guido Cappellini, driving for Zepter Team, was drivers' champion, securing an unprecedented tenth championship crown before retiring at the end of the year.^[3]

Teams and drivers

Team Hull Engine Race drivers Rounds Qatar Team DAC Mercury 2.5 V6 1 Jay Price All BaBa align=center rowspan=4 2 Leo Bonelli 1–2 Dragon Andy Elliott^[4] 3–6 Craig Bailey 7–10 Malcolm Goodman^[5] 11–16 Team Abu Dhabi DAC Mercury 2.5 V6 5 Thani Al Qamzi All BaBa 6 Ahmed Al Hameli All CTIC China Team DAC Mercury 2.5 V6 7 Pierre Lundin All BaBa 8 Fabian Kalsow All F1 Atlantic Team Moore Mercury 2.5 V6 9 Philippe Chiappe All Dragon 10 Duarte Benavente All Team Mad Croc BaBa Mercury 2.5 V6 11 Sami Seliö All align=center rowspan=2 12 Massimo Roggiero 1–4 Rinaldo Osculati 5–8, 11–16 DAC 18 Daniele Martignoni 1–6 Team Azerbaijan DAC Mercury 2.5 V6 14 Jonas Andersson All 15 Marit Strømøy All Singha F1 Racing Team DAC Mercury 2.5 V6 23 Marco Gambi All Blaze 24 Francesco Cantando All Ace Racing Dragon Mercury 2.5 V6 50 Andy Elliott 1–2 800 Doctor DAC Mercury 2.5 V6 69 Valerio Lagiannella All BaBa 70 Fabio Comparato All Zepter Team DAC Mercury 2.5 V6 74 Guido Cappellini All align=center rowspan=2 75 Ugis Gross 1–10 Tomas Cermak 11–16 Prox F1 Racing Team DAC Mercury 2.5 V6 77 Stanislav Kourtsenovsky^[6] 3–4

Key Regular boat/driver Boat ineligible for team points

Season calendar

The most significant change for the 2009 season was the introduction of a two-race format for each event making up the championship. With eight rounds confirmed by the UIM prior to the season's start^[1] the season would be made up of a total of 16 points-scoring races, the highest in its history. Only the thirteen races in 2000 came close in the previous 10 years. Initial reaction to the new format was positive, with drivers and fans commending the decision following its debut at the Grand Prix of Portugal.^[7] However whilst it increased the spectacle and offered teams and drivers more opportunities for success, costs were forced upwards and the format wasn't retained for 2010.

The initial calendar for the 2009 season featured the Grand Prix of Russia in Saint Petersburg as the second round of the championship, taking place on 5 and 6 June.^[1] However the race was postponed, with an announcement made on 22 April that it would instead be moved to the second week of August, with the Grand Prix of Finland becoming the second round, on 12 and 13 June.^[8]

Round	Race Title	Date	Circuit Location	Race	Race Winner	Hull/Engine
1	11th Grand Prix of Portugal	4–5 April	Portimão	1	Ahmed Al Hameli	BaBa/Mercury
				2	Thani Al Qamzi	DAC/Mercury
2	5th Grand Prix of Finland	12–13 June	Lahti	1	Guido Cappellini	DAC/Mercury
				2	Jay Price	DAC/Mercury
3	7th Grand Prix of Russia	8–9 August	Saint Petersburg	1	Jay Price	DAC/Mercury
				2	Jonas Andersson	DAC/Mercury
4	10th Grand Prix of China	6–7 October	Liuzhou	1	Sami Seliö	BaBa/Mercury
				2	Jonas Andersson	DAC/Mercury
5	11th Grand Prix of China	17–18 October	Shenzhen	1	Guido Cappellini	DAC/Mercury
				2	Sami Seliö	BaBa/Mercury
6	6th Grand Prix of Qatar	27–28 November	Doha	1	Guido Cappellini	DAC/Mercury
				2	Guido Cappellini	DAC/Mercury
7	17th Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi	4–5 December	Abu Dhabi	1	Guido Cappellini	DAC/Mercury
				2	Jay Price	DAC/Mercury
8	10th Grand Prix of Sharjah	10–11 December	Sharjah	1	Jay Price	DAC/Mercury
				2	Sami Seliö	BaBa/Mercury

Results and standings

Points were awarded to the top 10 classified finishers. A maximum of two boats per team were eligible for points in the teams' championship.

Position	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th
Points	20	15	12	9	7	5	4	3	2	1

Drivers standings

Pos Driver POR FIN RUS CHN CHN QAT ABU SHA Points 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 Guido Cappellini 10 Ret 1 4 Ret Ret 7 2 1 Ret 1 1 1 Ret 3 3 153 2 Thani Al Qamzi 4 1 4 2 Ret 3 Ret 3 7 5 2 4 5 Ret 4 2 143 3 Sami Seliö Ret Ret 5 3 Ret 2 1 Ret 4 1 Ret 6 3 Ret 2 1 135 4 Jay Price 2 Ret Ret 1 1 DNS Ret Ret Ret 2 Ret Ret 2 1 1 Ret 125 5 Jonas Andersson 3 9 2 8 Ret 1 5 1 3 10 7 8 6 Ret 6 4 118 6 Franceso Cantando Ret 2 Ret 7 Ret 8 2 Ret 2 8 Ret 2 4 5 Ret 10 87 7 Ahmed Al Hameli 1 Ret Ret 6 2 5 Ret Ret 6 DNS Ret 5 8 2 5 DNS 84 8 Philippe Chiappe Ret 12 11 5 3 7 4 10 Ret 3 4 3 7 3 Ret DNS 82 9 Fabio Comparato 5 Ret 3 Ret 4 4 6 Ret Ret 7 3 9 9 4 Ret DNS 71 10 Pierre Lundin Ret 5 DSQ Ret 5 DSQ 3 4 5 DNS 6 7 11 Ret 10 7 56 11 Duarte Benavente Ret 3 6 9 Ret Ret 8 7 8 6 Ret 10 10 6 DNS Ret 41 12 Marit Strømøy 7 8 9 13 7 10 Ret 5 Ret DNS 10 11 13 7 7 5 37 13 Fabian Kalsow 9 11 13 11 9 11 10 6 9 4 8 12 12 10 DNS 6 30 14 Ugis Gross 6 Ret 7 10 Ret 6 DNS DNS DNS DNS 15 15 Valerio Lagiannella DNS DNS 8 Ret 6 Ret 9 DNS 11 Ret DNS Ret DNS 8 DNS DNS 13 16 Marco Gambi Ret 10 14 DNS 10 Ret 11 9 Ret Ret 9 Ret 14 9 8 Ret 11 17 Malcolm Goodman 5 Ret Ret Ret Ret 8 10 18 Daniele Martignoni 11 6 12 Ret 8 9 10 19 Andy Elliott Ret 4 DNS Ret DNS DNS 9 20 Leo Bonelli 8 7 7 21 Craig Bailey Ret 8 10 9 6 22 Rinaldo Osculati Ret 12 Ret 11 11 13 DNS DNS 9 9 4 23 Stanislav Kourtsenovsky 10 12 1 24 Tomas Cermak DNS DNS Ret Ret Ret Ret 0 25 Massimo Roggiero DNS DNS Ret Ret 0

Teams standings

Only boats with results eligible for points counting towards the teams' championship are shown here.

Pos Team Boat No. POR FIN RUS CHN CHN QAT ABU SHA Points 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 Team Abu Dhabi 5 4 1 4 2 Ret 3 Ret 3 7 5 2 4 5 Ret 4 2 227 6 1 Ret Ret 6 2 5 Ret Ret 6 DNS Ret 5 8 2 5 DNS 2 Zepter Team 74 10 Ret 1 4 Ret Ret 7 2 1 Ret 1 1 1 Ret 3 3 168 75 6 Ret 7 10 Ret 6 DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS Ret Ret Ret Ret 3 Team Azerbaijan 14 3 9 2 8 Ret 1 5 1 3 10 7 8 6 Ret 6 4 155 15 7 8 9 13 7 10 Ret 5 Ret DNS 10 11 13 7 7 5 4 Qatar Team 1 2 Ret Ret 1 1 DNS Ret Ret Ret 2 Ret Ret 2 1 1 Ret 148 2 8 7 DNS Ret DNS DNS Ret 8 10 9 5 Ret Ret Ret Ret 8 5 Team Mad Croc 11 Ret Ret 5 3 Ret 2 1 Ret 4 1 Ret 6 3 Ret 2 1 139 12 DNS DNS Ret Ret Ret 12 Ret 11 11 13 DNS DNS 9 9 6 F1 Atlantic Team 9 Ret 12 11 5 3 7 4 10 Ret 3 4 3 7 3 Ret DNS 123 10 Ret 3 6 9 Ret Ret 8 7 8 6 Ret 10 10 6 DNS Ret 7 Singha F1 Racing Team 23 Ret 10 14 DNS 10 Ret 11 9 Ret Ret 9 Ret 14 9 8 Ret 98 24 Ret 2 Ret 7 Ret 8 2 Ret 2 8 Ret 2 4 5 Ret 10 8 CTIC China Team 7 Ret 5 DSQ Ret 5 DSQ 3 4 5 DNS 6 7 11 Ret 10 7 86 8 9 11 13 11 9 11 10 6 9 4 8 12 12 10 DNS 6 9 800 Doctor 69 DNS DNS 8 Ret 6 Ret 9 DNS 11 Ret DNS Ret DNS 8 DNS DNS 84 70 5 Ret 3 Ret 4 4 6 Ret Ret 7 3 9 9 4 Ret DNS 10 Ace Racing 50 Ret 4 9 11 Prox F1 Racing Team 77 10 12 1

External links

• The official website of the UIM F1 H2O World Championship
• The official website of the Union Internationale Motonautique

Notes and References

1. News: ADVANCE REGULATIONS 2009. Union Internationale Motonautique. 10 March 2013.
2. News: Lahti Host Pre-Season F1 Party. F1H2O. 13 March 2009. 18 March 2013.
3. News: Cappellini’s late Charge Leads to 10th World Title!!. F1H2O. 31 December 2009. 10 March 2013.
4. News: Qatar Team Welcomes English Veteran Andy Elliott!. F1H2O. 2 June 2009. 18 March 2013.
5. News: Malcolm Goodman joins Jay Price in Qatar Team. F1H2O. 24 November 2009. 18 March 2013.
6. News: Russian Driver Kourtsenovsky Ready For New Start!. F1H2O. 11 June 2009. 18 March 2013.
7. News: New race format adds excitement for drivers!. F1H2O. 17 April 2009. 18 March 2013.
8. News: Postponement of the GP of Russia. F1H2O. 22 April 2009. 18 March 2013.