It’s been a miserable season for 2-time F1H2o World Champion Sami Seliö and where others may have ‘thrown the towel in’, the determined racer from Finland’s perseverance has paid off and was rewarded with a podium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

I asked Seliö about his ‘annus horribilis’.

Sami it’s been an incredibly frustrating 2018 F1H2o season for you with 2 DNS and 2 DNF’s.

However, it all came right in Abu Dhabi with a third place and a return to the podium, how did you and Mad-Croc BaBa Racing team turn it around?

We have just kept working hard and hoped that we could put this difficult period behind us and now we are getting things right again!

I know that I am still able to do my part of the job right as a driver – I also know that the Team are able to do their tasks well.

We have been focused on the things we do and we know at some point the luck will turn to be on our side again.

You have brought Michael Jenkins back into the team as radio man and engineer, did the re-hire make an immediate impact?

For sure it has a big mental impact to every member of our team!

Of course he is one of the top mechanics of this sport, so it is nice to have him back!

However, the team without him worked well and was not the reason why we have not had good results lately.

It has been mostly bad luck.

When the whole team is working hard together and putting their knowledge and skill together, it is better then ever before!

You scored points in London and Abu Dhabi which currently puts you in seventh in the championship standings.

Erik Edin, Francesco Cantando and Jonas Andersson are right behind you and Ahmed Al Hameli could challenge that place if he is fit to race on Saturday. Do you see those guys as your main competition or are you aiming at beating Team Abu Dhabi and the CTIC F1 Shenzhen China team?

I focus on one race at the time and I always fight to be in the top 3 – It is my minimum goal.

Now I have another target, I have the chance to be the second driver ever to win over 1000 World Championship points.

I think I need to finish at least 4th and then its done!

Only Guido Cappellini has got over that so far!