The boats are ready, drivers are ready and the key is to limit mechanical problems and avoid driver errors, says world champion
Reigning world champion Shaun Torrente says Team Abu Dhabi know exactly what they must do to seal victory in the 24 Hours of Rouen endurance race tomorrow, and believes they can bring back another title to the UAE capital.
Before heading into the eve-of-event official practice in Team Abu Dhabi 35 on the River Seine in Northern France, Torrente said: “Our chances this time are very good. The team has done a wonderful job to prepare. The boats are ready and we’re ready.
“The crucial factor in this race always is mechanical. We have to have very few mechanical failures. When we do have any problem we must react quickly and get the problem fixed immediately.
“The most important thing for us as drivers is to not make any mistakes leading to penalties. These are the keys to us winning the race.”
Torrente, sharing driving duties with Emiratis Rashed Al Qemzi and Rashed Al Tayer along with Italian Tullio Abbate, was in the Team Abu Dhabi line-up who finished as S2 class runners up last year in the spectacular river race run before huge crowds in the heart of the city of Rouen.
Their victory hopes were dashed by a series of mechanical issues and heavy penalties and Torrente, who landed the 2018 UIM F1H2O individual and team world titles with Team Abu Dhabi, wants no repeat.
“We learn something from every race that helps us the next time,” he said. “The most important thing that we learnt here in Rouen last year was that drivers can’t afford to make any errors or break the engine, and must try to save all the equipment for the end.”
The team’s powerful challenge in France for Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club sees the all-Emirati combination of Mohamed Al Mehairbi, Faleh Al Mansoori, Majed Al Mansoori and Rashed Al Remeithi challenging in boat #36.
Winners in Rouen in 2016, Team Abu Dhabi must aim to prevent the all-Russian crew of Roman and Dmitry Vandyshev, Andrey Paniushkin and Dimitry Malkin securing a second successive victory for Team Nollet.
The race roars to life at 10am tomorrow (Tuesday), with the French assault led by the Pegase Touax Racing Team combination of Christophe Boyard, Xavier Savin, Denis Jarnigon and Fabrice Boulier.
Sponsored by Etihad Airways, Team Abu Dhabi is supported by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and runs under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Khalifa Al-Nahyan, advisor to the Head of State and chairman of the board of directors of the ADIMSC.