Mohammed Al-Mehairi & Jean-Marc Sanchez's Fatal Crash @ Dubai 2009
- 7 months ago
An accident marred the final race of the 2009 Class 1 Offshore World Championship in Dubai. The boat Victory 1, driven by Mohammed Al-Mehairi, overturned at high speed in the early stages and crashed violently uspide-down on the water surface. Al-Mehairi and his French throttleman Jean-Marc Sanchez sustained severe injuries. They were transported to a hospital in Dubai City where they were pronounced dead on arrival.
Victory 1 was battling for the point championship against Fazza 3, the boat driven by Arif Saif Al-Zafeen, also of Victory Team. Victory 1 was was eight points behind with one race to go. After the accident the race was abandoned and Fazza 3 became the 2009 World Champion.
Mohammed Majed Al-Mehairi was in his first World Championship season and had already obtained two wins with Victory Team. He was previously several times the EAU national champion.
Jean-Marc "Frenchy" Sanchez was an experienced and multi-talented racer. He had started racing in 1984 in Didier Pironi's Leader. Sanchez remained with Pironi until 1987, racing with him several times in the ill-fated Colibri. In 1989 he joined the Italian Team Rainbow and in 1991 he transferred to Achilli Motors.
In 1993 Sanchez joined the Victory team. Initially hireed as a mechanic his duties gradually grew to become a crew chief and later the team's test driver.
In 2004 Sanchez made his comeback in the World Championship this time as a driver, he finished third in the point standings alongside Mohammed Al-Marri. The next year they won the Middle East Championship and finished second in the World Championship. In 2006 Sanchez and Al-Marri were again runner-up in the World Championship. In 2007 Sanchez changed his role and as a throttleman he won the world title with Arif Saif Al-Zafeen. The next year he was runner-up in the boat driven by Abdullah Al-Mehairbi. In his career Jean-Marc Sanchez won ten Grand Prix races out of 47 starts.
R.I.P
Victory 1 was battling for the point championship against Fazza 3, the boat driven by Arif Saif Al-Zafeen, also of Victory Team. Victory 1 was was eight points behind with one race to go. After the accident the race was abandoned and Fazza 3 became the 2009 World Champion.
Mohammed Majed Al-Mehairi was in his first World Championship season and had already obtained two wins with Victory Team. He was previously several times the EAU national champion.
Jean-Marc "Frenchy" Sanchez was an experienced and multi-talented racer. He had started racing in 1984 in Didier Pironi's Leader. Sanchez remained with Pironi until 1987, racing with him several times in the ill-fated Colibri. In 1989 he joined the Italian Team Rainbow and in 1991 he transferred to Achilli Motors.
In 1993 Sanchez joined the Victory team. Initially hireed as a mechanic his duties gradually grew to become a crew chief and later the team's test driver.
In 2004 Sanchez made his comeback in the World Championship this time as a driver, he finished third in the point standings alongside Mohammed Al-Marri. The next year they won the Middle East Championship and finished second in the World Championship. In 2006 Sanchez and Al-Marri were again runner-up in the World Championship. In 2007 Sanchez changed his role and as a throttleman he won the world title with Arif Saif Al-Zafeen. The next year he was runner-up in the boat driven by Abdullah Al-Mehairbi. In his career Jean-Marc Sanchez won ten Grand Prix races out of 47 starts.
R.I.P