Literally weeks before Grant Trask was set to head off to Italy for testing with the Emirates Team, team boss Scott Gillman left Emirates to join the Victory Team (read the story). A few days later F1 Atlantic owner/driver Duarte Benavente confirmed that he had snatched up the Australian driver from the Emirates stable to compete in the 2017 Union Internationale Motonautique F1 H2O World Championship.

Australian Grant Trask is excited about the upcoming F1 H2O season. Photo courtesy Grant Trask Racing (click to enlarge).

Benavente—one of the sport’s most experienced campaigners with 19 seasons under his belt—said in a team release that he’s excited to have Trask join the team just a few weeks before the season opener in Portimao, Portugal (April 22-23), the same place where Benavente made his debut in 1999. Last year, the veteran F1 pilot was one of two drivers to finish with points in every Grand Prix—he ended the season ninth overall.

“I see this as a wonderful opportunity to join a highly experienced and seasoned F1 team,” Trask said in the release. “The F1 Atlantic Team has heaps of logistical support and team back up.”

As a 5-year-old kid, Trask was run over by a truck and ended up losing his right leg above the knee. When racing, he removes his prosthetic leg before being strapped into the cockpit. Obviously Trask, who races under Grant Trask Racing, has not let his disability stand in the way of his dream to be a successful F1 pilot.

“We will still be campaigning as an Aussie team and my father, Bob Trask, remains heavily involved as my crew chief and will be at every round as my radio man,” added Trask, who has been busy assembling his support equipment, which includes three Troy Woods-built race engines from Australia, to ship to Portugal.

Grant Trask Racing is an all Australian race team, proudly competing for the F1H20 UIM World Championship. Follow Grant Trask Racing at , Facebook and Instagram.

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