Round 8 – Emirates Grand Prix – Dubai, U.A.E.
JOTUN SHINES AS UNEXPECTED POLE STAR
* No Fear charges to surprise second place *
* Victory 7 take 3rd to move ahead of Victory 44 in Pole Position Championship
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* First ever all-diesel powered podium *
The Norwegian National Anthem rang out across Dubai today, after Andreas Ugland and Jann Hillestad in ‘Jotun’ took a surprise victory in the Emirates Grand Prix Pole Position run with a time of 19.373 seconds (204.41kmh / 126.94mph.) The result, which marks Ugland and Hillestad’s third career Pole Position victory, came after the all Norwegian pairing changed to new engines in the wake of an impressive performance a fortnight ago in Fujairah.
"It’s taken some time, but we have been working very hard and after the last race we knew we were on a roll," said Ugland, as he watched partner Jann Hillestad pushed into the azure waters of the Arabian Gulf by his delighted team manager, Jan Zaborowski. "It’s a combination of things, but everything came together today, the props, the new engines, everything. We have a really good feeling for the race tomorrow," he added.
The form books were further upset, when Ken Thorne and Matteo Nicolini in ‘No Fear’ scored an unexpected second place, with a spectacular run that was just over one hundredth of a second slower over the measured kilometer (19.490 seconds – 203.18kmh / 126.18mph.)
"The boat has been capable of this all season, so it’s great to finally be proving a point," said Thorne on the podium, as he proudly waved a Welsh flag. "We’re used to rough seas, so the choppy water helped us a little today, but I’d be even happier if there was another two meters of swell tomorrow," continued Thorne, who yesterday took the brave decision to strip out the gearboxes and run with the standard Daytona box. "If everything holds together, then it’s looking good for tomorrow."
On a day when the Dubai-based Victory Team’s 100% record in the 1999 Pole Run was emphatically broken, ironically on home territory, Ali Nasser and Randy Scism restored a modicum of local pride by steering ‘Victory 7’ to third place in a time of 19.530 seconds (202.76kmh / 125.92mph.) In completing the 1-2-3- line-up, Nasser and Scism did however ensure a first of one kind, with the first ever all-diesel-powered podium in the Pole run.
The 12 points collected by Nasser and Scism was enough to move them above team-mates Saeed Al Tayer and Felix Serralles, to the top of the Pole Position Championship standings, with only next week’s Dubai Duty Free Grand Prix remaining.
Commenting on the result, Randy Scism said: "We had a really good first run, but just stood it up towards the end, which wiped off about six or seven miles an hour. Still, I have to say that we’re very satisfied with third and delighted for Jotun and No Fear. They both thoroughly deserved the result."
Meanwhile, by finishing in a disappointing fifth place, Edoardo Polli and Laith Pharaon in ‘Hyatt’ gave up any slim hope they may have had of retaining the Pole Position Championship that they won last season. The title is now certain to go down to the wire, with only Al Tayer and Serralles in ‘Victory 44’ capable of beating Nasser and Scism to the Pole Trophy and thereby preventing a potentially unique double victory in both the Pole Position Trophy and Class 1 World Championship.