Ahmed Al Hameli will make just his second start in the F1H20 powerboat world championship on Lake Como at this week’s Italian Grand Prix, 14th-16th October, in Cernobbio

The 32-year old star, who made his Class 1 debut in Abu Dhabi in 2009 alongside Giovanni Carpitella, has been drafted in to substitute for the injured Rashed Al Tayer, and will team-up with fellow-Emirati Majed Al Mansoori in Team Abu Dhabi.

The eleventh hour call-up for Al Hameli sees him switching formulas on the back of two impressive outings for Team Abu Dhabi in rounds 4 and 5 of the F1H2O series, dominating his peers in the Grand Prix of Ukraine to qualify in pole position and take his first win of the year, following it up in the recent Grand Prix of China in Liuzhou, finishing in second place behind his teammate Thani Al Qamzi. Al Hameli lies fourth in the Championship standings.

The injury that rules out Al Tayer was sustained in a Jet Ski event in the USA and sees Team Abu Dhabi fielding a third different line-up in as many Grands Prix.

The team kicked off their 2011 campaign with Al Tayer and John Tomlinson grabbing pole position at their home Grand Prix and finishing fourth in both races.  In Norway it was Majed Al Mansoori’s turn to make his Class 1 debut alongside Al Tayer, the pair qualifying in fourth place but missing out on a top six finish following a post-race disqualification for running outside the course.

Team Abu Dhabi currently sits in fifth place in the Championship standings.