Rashed wins Grand Prix of Norway to take lead in title race
by Narayan Marar 4 Aug 2024 09:28 PDT
3-4 August 2024
Team Abu Dhabi's Rashed Al Qemzi © Team Abu Dhabi
Team Abu Dhabi's Rashed Al Qemzi powered his way to an emphatic victory in the Grand Prix of Norway to boost his challenge for a fifth UIM F2 World Championship crown.
The defending champion completed a dominant race weekend in Tønsberg with an impeccable start-to-finish win from his Abu Dhabi team-mate Mansoor Al Mansoori in second place, to take the lead in this year's title race.
After their one-two success in qualifying, the two Emirati drivers produced another perfect team result, underlining Al Qemzi's undoubted pedigree and also serving a reminder that Al Mansoori can be a serious challenger.
Starting impressively from pole position, Al Qemzi looked in complete control as he opened up a comfortable five-seconds lead from Al Mansoori, with Sweden's Mathilda Wiberg in third, before a yellow flag halted the race after seven laps.
Moments later, Britain's early championship leader, Matthew Palfreyman, was towed out of the Grand Prix before the restart, but there were no problems for four-time champion Al Qemzi as he quickly rebuilt a commanding lead.
He cruised home with more than five seconds to spare from his team-mate, who was never seriously challenged by Wiberg as she settled for the other podium place.
It was a flawless race weekend for Al Qemzi who had followed up his Friday night match race victory by setting the fastest time in Saturday's free practice before clinching pole position in the qualifying shoot out.
This was Al Qemzi's maiden career win in Norway, and it could be a vital victory as he looks to claim a place in the record books by becoming the first driver to win the F2 world title five times.
He had finished third in Tønsberg on his way to a first F2 crown in 2017, and two years later he was champion again after four race victories and a second place in Norway.
A third world title arrived in 2021 following a double Grand Prix success in Portugal, and three more race victories last year gave Al Qemzi his fourth world title with one round to spare.
Team Abu Dhabi will be taking nothing for granted, however, and their focus is now to look for further improvements ahead of round three in Klaipeda, Lithuania from August 16-17, before September brings the Italian Grand Prix followed by a double header in Portugal.