Heading into the final weekend of the 2024 UIM F2 World Championship a vital part in deciding the World Champion would be who the weekends Pole Sitter would be!
Free practice saw championship leader Rashed Al Qemzi top the session. With Norway’s Tobias Munthe-Kaas taking second finally getting to grips with his new hull and in third place was Lithuania’s Edgaras Riabko.
Just as the boats lined up for the all-important battle for pole position the wind picked up creating some taxing conditions for the drivers as they headed into Q2 with all drivers competing to secure their place in the top six drivers.
As to be expected as it has been at every event this season the top of the leader board changed hands several times throughout the session.
It was Monégasque driver Giacomo Sacchi-Abbate that topped the group with a blistering pace and was the first driver to progress to Q3. With Italian Driver David Del Pin the second fastest of the group.
Joining them in the Top six was Britain’s Matthew Palfreyman, Portugal’s very own Duarte Benavente, and Championship leader Rashed Al Qemzi.
With just one space left in the top six the battle was between Abu Dhabi’s Mansoor Al Mansoori and Lithuania’s Edgaras Riabko both fighting for the World Championship title, one of them would progress whilst then other would start tomorrow’s Grand Prix Race in seventh position.
Forced to settle for seventh was Lithuania’s Edgaras Riabko who missed the next session by 0.012 of a second in the narrowest of margins.
The battle for pole position intensified as the top six drivers on the day went to battle for another fifteen minutes to claim pole position. Just three laps in and Sacchi-Abbate had laid down the gauntlet taking the fastest lap but only 0.02 of a second separated his from Al Qemzi.
All six drivers traversed their way around the course all looking for the perfect lap, but only the pole Sitter would go faster as Sacchi-Abbate improved his time on the ten-minute mark and then again on his second to last lap to grab the pole position with both hands.
Reigning Champion Al Qemzi will start in second on the grid with, Brit Matthew Palfreyman in third, Al Mansoori in fourth and Del Pin and Benavente completing the line up respectively.
Pole Sitter Giacomo Sacchi-Abbate had this to say “I’m really happy, after the bad luck this season and blowing up the engine at the last round we are finally back. I have to say a huge thank you to my team for all their hard work.”
He continued “I’m out of the Championship contention this year unfortunately but my aim is to win tomorrow and walk away with a Grand Prix title.”
Tomorrow, we see the 30th UIM F2 World Champion Crowned as we end the 2024 season in the fiercest of battles. The only question we all have now is who will take the crown!
