Team Abu Dhabi's Torrente sets early pace in China

Dubai - Torrente was comfortably fastest in the two-hour official practice session with a lap of 55.41 secs on the 2,516m Wuyan Bay circuit

Team Abu Dhabi's Shaun Torrente underlined his determination to clinch a second successive drivers' title in the UIM F1H2O World Championship on Friday by setting the early pace at the start of a tense race weekend in China, a press release said.
Carrying a slim three-point lead over Sweden's Jonas Andersson into Saturday's Grand Prix of Xiamen, Torrente was comfortably fastest in the two-hour official practice session with a lap of 55.41 secs on the 2,516m Wuyan Bay circuit.
With Norway's Marit Stromoy (56.39) and Italy's four-time world champion Alex Carella (56.37) clocking the two next best times, Team Abu Dhabi's Thani Al Qemzi (56.39), lying third in the world title race, was fourth fastest.
While this year's F1H2O World Championship concludes in Sharjah in December, developments in the Grand Prix double header in China in the space of 24 hours could decide the major issues.
The boats return to the water on Saturday for another practice session before the pole position race.
The frantic race programme continues with an identical schedule on Sunday.