Class 1 Powerboat - Victory's in house title fight

1:48 AM Sun 25 Oct 2009 GMT

'Victory Team ?Raffaello Bastiani' Class 1 World Powerboat Championship &copy

Two Grands Prix and four races in three weeks in the Middle East - the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, 19-21 November and the Dubai Grand Prix, 10-12 December - will decide the destiny of the World, Middle East and Edox Pole Position Championships.

And whilst Gianfranco Venturelli is on-track to claim a Grand Slam of titles as Victory Team General Manager, it is unlikely that Bjorn Gjelsten and Steve Curtis' record of winning all four titles in a season - achieved by the Spirit of Norway pairing in 2003 and again in 2006 - will be matched.

Victory 1's Mohammad Al Mehiari and Jean-Marc Sanchez now stand as the only crew with the Grand Slam in their sights, after lifting the European crown in Stresa, Italy, earlier this month.

For the second time in three seasons Sanchez has once again guided a 'rookie' to a title in his first season. In 2007 he partnered Arif Al Zafeen to the World and European titles, and after recording his tenth career-win in Italy, regained his European crown to give newcomer Al Mehairi his first title.

Having ruined Al Zafeen and Bin Hendi's Grand Slam dream, the Fazza crew - with four wins from six races this season - will now look to repay the favour to their team-mates, by going on to complete a hat-trick of title wins.

Victory 1's Al Mehairi and Sanchez head Fazza in the World Championship standings by a slender four points, but Al Zafeen and Bin Hendi lead the Middle East and Edox Pole Position Championships.

And whilst an in-house fight for the titles within the Victory camp looks likely, both will be wary of Maritimo and Welmax, who stand as their nearest challengers, have both hit form to take podium finishes in the last two Grand Prix and are capable of springing a surprise.

Victory Team members ?Raffaello Bastiani - Class 1 World Powerboat Championship &copy

Victory Team members ?Raffaello Bastiani - Class 1 World Powerboat Championship &copy

by Class 1 media

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Class 1 Powerboat - Victory's in house title fight

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