Hameli wants to make most of home advantage for title

ABU DHABI // The F1 Team Abu Dhabi's Emirati driver, Ahmed Al Hameli, could claim an overall podium place in the 2008 UIM Powerboats World Championship next week as he contends the season's final two races in front of a home audience. After battling it out in six rounds, the 2007 UIM Rookie of the Year lies in fourth-place in the overall drivers' championship and is just seven points adrift of third. With 40 points up for grabs over the remaining two GPs, the final races in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah will prove deciding factors in Al Hameli's podium ambitions. "It's been a long season, but we are home now with everything to play for.

"It will be great to compete in front of my country's fans and I hope they give me the added edge to clinch that podium finish," said Hameli. His teammate, Thani Al Qamzi, has been plagued with mechanical difficulties this season and he joked that he has suffered three season's worth of bad luck in the last three races. [e-mail]