Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashed Al Qemzi has etched his name into the annals of the UIM F2 World Championship by securing the driver’s title for a remarkable fifth time, following a dominant victory in Portugal. The Emirati driver capped off his record-breaking season with a resounding third Grand Prix win of the 2024 season, mirroring his triumph on the Tagus River circuit at Vila Velha de Rodao the previous year. This achievement propelled him past Sweden’s Erik Stark, a four-time F2 champion, solidifying Team Abu Dhabi’s 18th world title since Guido Cappellini took the helm as team manager nine years ago.
Entering the sixth and final round of the championship, Al Qemzi held a six-point advantage over Lithuania’s Edgaras Riabko. With a second-place finish being sufficient to retain the F2 crown, any lingering uncertainty was swiftly erased as Al Qemzi executed a flawless start, overtaking Monaco’s pole position winner, Giacomo Sacchi, to seize the lead immediately. Maintaining his dominance throughout the race, Al Qemzi affirmed his position as one of the world’s premier powerboat racers, finishing more than three seconds ahead of Sacchi, with Riabko securing third place and the runner-up spot in the championship.
Despite suffering an early mechanical failure, Team Abu Dhabi’s Mansoor Al Mansoori secured third place overall in the championship, following his Grand Prix victory in Portugal the week prior. Grateful to share the championship podium with his teammate, Al Qemzi expressed his joy: “I’m thrilled to be world champion once more, and I extend my gratitude to my team for their unwavering support, both to myself and to Mansoor, throughout this season.”
Al Qemzi’s journey to prominence began with victories in the Nations Cup and F4-S world titles before he made his debut in the F2 World Championship in 2016, finishing ninth overall. He clinched his first F2 world title the subsequent year and went on to win in 2019, 2021, and last year, wrapping up the championship in Portugal with one round to spare.
