Podium or bust for Emiratis

Qatar crucial for al Qamzi and al Hameli and the Team Abu Dhabi pair, fourth and seventh in drivers' title race, hope to move up table.

Team Abu Dhabi’s Ahmed al Hameli is hoping to put his run of bad luck behind him in Qatar this weekend.

Team Abu Dhabi's Thani al Qamzi and Ahmed al Hameli have made the short trip across the Arabian Gulf to Qatar to complete their final preparations for this weekend's Grand Prix of Qatar, the sixth round of the 2010 UIM F1 World Championship.

The pair hold fourth and seventh positions in the drivers' championship standings after five of eight rounds in this year's series

A podium finish is crucial to both Emirati drivers if they are to challenge Italy's Francesco Cantando, Qatar's Jay Price and the Team Mad Croc duo of Alex Carella and Sami Selio for the world title.

Al Hameli has proved with his performances in the qualifying sessions and time trials that he is consistently the fastest driver on the racecourses this season, but the Emirati has suffered a cruel run of luck.

He suffered last-gasp disappointment in the most recent race in Shenzhen.

His misfortune handed victory to Francesco Cantando - but al Hameli has surged into an impressive 29-point lead in the UIM F1 Pole Position Championship and could well place one hand on the pole position trophy with another outstanding qualifying performance on the Doha Bay course tomorrow afternoon.

"I have had more than my fair share of bad luck this season and it is time that my fortunes changed," said al Hameli, who will also be hoping to push Team Abu Dhabi into contention to oust Team Mad Croc from the top of the UIM F1 Teams' Championship standings.

The Team Abu Dhabi racer also has a four-point lead in the 2010 Fast Lap Slam Trophy competition heading into the Qatar race.

Majed al Mansoori replaced Rashid al Tayer in Team Abu Dhabi's F-4S boat in Shenzhen, as team management continue to nurture both talented young drivers.

Al Mansoori currently lies eighth in the F4 points standings, with al Tayer up in fifth position, although both BaBa boat drivers are some way behind Oskar Samuelsson, the talented Swedish front-runner.

Al Tayer is taking part in this weekend's Abu Dhabi Class 1 Grand Prix in the UAE so al Mansoori takes his place in the Team Abu Dhabi boat for the pair of F-4S races tomorrow and Saturday afternoon.

The Grand Prix of Qatar gets underway with administration checks and scrutineering today, before boats take to the water for official practice sessions, the F1 time trials (4pm UAE time) and the first of the 20-minute F-4S races tomorrow.

Teams will be able to take part in a final free practice session on Saturday morning on the 1.99km course, before the second F-4S race and the Grand Prix of Qatar.