Alex Carella, the Italian three-time UIM F1 H20 World Champion, has joined Team Abu Dhabi and will take part in this weekend's Grand Prix of Qatar in Doha Bay.
The former Qatar Team stalwart won successive world titles in 2012, 2013 and 2014 with the Doha-based team and has now joined forces with mentor and 10-time World Champion, Guido Cappellini, who was recently appointed as manager of Team Abu Dhabi, which runs under the auspices of the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC) and the patronage of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Advisor to the UAE President, and Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Carella will link up with the experienced racer Thani Al-Qamzi in a formidable line-up for Team Abu Dhabi, as Carella bids for a fourth world title and Team Abu Dhabi bids to return to the top of the podium at this weekend's opening round, which is being organised by H20 Racing and the Qatar Sailing and Marine Sports Federation. Etihad Airways is the official carrier for Team Abu Dhabi.
"I am thrilled to be joining Team Abu Dhabi," enthused Carella, a veteran of 32 Grand Prix. "I have often thought about this team in the past and they know exactly the meaning of professionalism and competing at the highest level. I know this race in Qatar well and will be aiming to get my new career off to a winning start.
"Alex is one of the finest racers in the world and probably the best of his generation," enthused Salem Rumaithi, General Manager of Team Abu Dhabi. "We are delighted that he has joined our team and we can now benefit from the talents of Thani and Alex this season in the pinnacle of power boat racing. Team Abu Dhabi is keen to excel on the world stage at international level and we are confident that we have a line-up that is capable of winning the world title and climbing to the top step of the podium. The presence of Alex and Thani in the same team will make Team Abu Dhabi a real force to be reckoned with." Al-Qamzi is a veteran of 110 Grand Prix and is delighted to have Carella as his teammate for the new season. "Alex joining the team gives me a strong motivation to succeed. I have enjoyed competing against him for several years when he was an integral member of the Qatar Team and it is great that we are now team-mates and will be working together for Team Abu Dhabi." Technical checks and registration for the weekend's race take place on Thursday. Official practice and time trials for the 2015 Grand Prix of Qatar take centre stage on Friday and the 2015 Grand Prix of Qatar itself roars into life on Saturday afternoon.
Source: WAM