The 2011 UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship roars into life today as ten boats line up off Lulu Island for what promises to be an intriguing season-opener.
The 2011 Class 1 Championship is fielding one of its most competitive fleets in recent years; three Middle East teams take on six from Europe, seven of the ten outfits opting to run V12 power-plants over V8, with four World Champions lining-up in Abu Dhabi.
Team Abu Dhabi will be hoping to benefit from home advantage, with Emirati Rashed Al Tayer and American race-ace John Tomlinson, who won the World and European titles in 1997, looking to kick-start their season with a repeat of last year's win on home waters.
Reverting to running in the more familiar blue colours of Victory Team, Arif Al Zafeen and Nadir bin Hendi shoulder full responsibility as the Dubai team's sole entry.
The champions have dominated the last two seasons and set-out in defence of their World, European and Middle East titles looking to add to their 21 career-wins apiece as they start their campaign to try to lift an eleventh world title for the team.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix gets underway today (14th April) with a qualifying session at 10.15am to determine pole position for the first race which goes under starters orders at 3.30pm. A final practice session tomorrow morning is followed by the second race, again at 3.30pm.
