Day One of the Sharjah Grand Prix for the UIM F1H2O World Championship Begins

The 2024 World Champion to be Crowned.
Sharjah, December 6, 2024

The excitement kicks off on the first day of the “Sharjah World Championship Week,“ the final round of the UIM F1H2O World Championship, – Road to Sharjah, “Grand Prix of Sharjah,” in its 23rd edition. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council, the event is organized by the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA).

Today (Friday), Free Practice session commence for the participants, while tomorrow (Saturday) will feature the Qualification (1 km sprint) and the two Sprint Races, which will collectively determine the final starting grid for Sunday’s main race. A total of 19 top international drivers will compete for the title in a spectacular finale to the 2024 season.

Tomorrow morning (Saturday) at 9:30 AM, all competing boats will take to the waters of Khalid Lagoon for the iconic Qualification. This event consists of three qualifying races: The first stage identifies the 12 fastest boats qualified for the second stage, which, in turn, reveals the six fastest boats qualified for the third and final stage. The third stage also unveils the fastest time and pole position for Sunday’s race.

New Racing Format Introduced
The event incorporates new regulations introduced last year during the Grand Prix of Sharjah 2023. Designed to provide drivers with the best chance of achieving pole positions, the updated format adds two Sprint Races to the Qualification. The combined results of these races will finalize the starting grid for the main event.

Wyatt and Anderson compete in Friday’s Glory
The promising driver Rusty Wyatt and Jonas Andersson competed in Friday’s session. Andersson of Team Vietnam set the fastest time in the free practice session, completing a lap in 46.214 seconds. Meanwhile Rusty Wyatt of Sharjah Team came in 2^nd with 46.650 seconds, and Thani Al Qamzi of Team Abu Dhabi secured the 3^rd place with 47.130 seconds. And in 4^th came Bartek Marszalek of Stromoy Racing in 47.625 seconds.

Saturday’s Competitive Line-Up
Saturday’s events—Qualification, Sprint Race 1, and Sprint Race 2—are pivotal in determining the season’s overall champion. Current leader Jonas Andersson (boat #1) tops the standings with 99 points but faces stiff competition from rising star Rusty Wyatt (boat #17) of Team Sharjah, who trails by just three points (96), as well as Peter Morin (boat #7) of China CTIC Team with 79.5 points, and Erik Stark (boat #4) of Victory Team with 77.5 points.

Team Sharjah, represented by Wyatt and teammate Philip Roms (boat #18), is also aiming for the Teams’ Championship title. With 123 points, they are second in the standings behind Vietnam Team’s Jonas Andersson and Kalle Vippo, who lead with 133.5 points. The battle for team supremacy promises a thrilling conclusion to a spectacular season.

The Main Race Awaits
With Sunday’s finale poised to crown the 2024 world champion, the Sharjah Grand Prix remains the focal point of the UIM F1H2O World Championship racing scene.