| BOAT GP ACADEMY Every sport has it, Moto GP Academy, Superbike Academy and if you look to powerboat racing we have it as well. Boat GP Academy had its greatest success last weekend in Qatar, when Jonas Andersson won the UIM F1.
The Boat GP Academy has been there for many years, but more like a silent school � since powerboat racing is a bit behind in marketing of other sports, like bike racing. Looking back the first pilot who graduated from the Boat GP Academy was young Portuguese driver Duarte "nico" Benavente. The perfectionist from Lisbon won everything in the Spain / Portugal "Multi coppa" powerboat race series organized by the Spanish promoter, Jose Luis Del Palacio.
"Nico" is now one of the respected drivers and team owners in F1, and runs occasionally in F2 when Schedule allows it.
Next "hot shoot" out is the American driver Jay Price.
Jose Luis Del Palacio "discovered" his talent in Cuba. Jay was the hero in T1 � same as SST 120 and F2. Del Palacio invited him over to the F2 World championship race and educated him. The results is here, First pilot of a 3 pilot Qatar team, and even he is hunting his first victory in F1, he has many of them in F2 � and last weekends 2nd place in Qatar GP in the opening round of the F1 World championship proves that he will make it, its only a question about time.
The name Boat GP Academy has "popped" up in the leader group more and more often over the last month, and a complete structure is taking form to develop more and new drivers in the powerboat sport. An Academy is just what it has been, a place to learn and study. Just like Jonas Andersson did.
We could of cause have mention more, butt his was our A class students.
Jonas said in the interviu on the F1boat.com site that "I used a few years to learn F2 before I started to win, and I had to do the same in F1, but now it starts to pay off". Well, study has always payed off � and that's what makes the Boat GP Academy owner Jose Luis Del Palacio so proud also. Because he has now been sitting on the sideline, and studied for a few years, and feel its time to graduate a few more..
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