Nelson Morin heads a Nelson-Sacchi front row for the Grand Prix of Vila Velha de Ródão, the quickest across all three qualifying sessions and the only driver to dip into the 49s in Q3.
It was a difficult day for two of the six drivers still mathematically able to win the 2026 title. Mathilda Wiberg was hit by three separate problems: a Q1 issue, a fuel problem that saw her scrape into Q3 with only three minutes of the session left, then a breakdown before she could set a lap time in Q3. Her final grid position was decided by her Q2 time. Peter Morin also had fuel trouble, unable to get the revs or speed he needed in Q2, and qualifies down in 12th.
Championship leader Edgaras Riabko qualifies 5th. Hilmer Wiberg had arguably his strongest session of the weekend to line up 3rd, with Tobias Munthe-Kaas 7th.
Qualifying Results
| Pos | No. | Driver | Country | Time | Session |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 33 | Nelson Morin | France | 49.151 | Q3, pole |
| 2 | 74 | Giacomo Sacchi | Monaco | 49.409 | Q3 |
| 3 | 70 | Hilmer Wiberg | Sweden | 49.632 | Q3 |
| 4 | 45 | Duarte Benavente | Portugal | 49.800 | Q3 |
| 5 | 41 | Edgaras Riabko | Lithuania | 49.832 | Q3 |
| 6 | 1 | Mathilda Wiberg | Sweden | 51.019 | Q2 (DNS in Q3) |
| 7 | 77 | Tobias Munthe-Kaas | Norway | 51.271 | Q2 |
| 8 | 3 | Owen Jelf | Great Britain | 51.746 | Q2 |
| 9 | 14 | Ian Blacker | Great Britain | 51.791 | Q2 |
| 10 | 11 | Bimba Sjöholm | Sweden | 52.292 | Q2 |
| 11 | 7 | Frode Sundsdal | Norway | 52.299 | Q2 |
| 12 | 111 | Peter Morin | France | 52.487 | Q2 |
| 13 | 2 | Johan Österberg | Sweden | 53.540 | Q1 |
| 14 | 91 | Buby Bertels | Belgium | 55.398 | Q1 |
What to Watch For Tomorrow
Riabko’s grid slot works in his favour. Fifth is comfortable rather than spectacular, but he does not need to win, only to avoid the specific scenarios each rival needs from him. Starting mid-pack rather than at the front suits a race managed conservatively rather than one raced on the limit.
Hilmer Wiberg looks the contender best placed to challenge him. Third on the grid and genuinely in podium or win contention, he only needs Riabko to finish eighth or worse. That is a live scenario rather than a stretch, and if there is late drama in the title race tomorrow, it is more likely to involve him than Peter Morin or Mathilda Wiberg.
Peter Morin and Mathilda Wiberg look the least likely of the six mathematical contenders now. Twelfth on the grid is a considerable ask for Morin before factoring in that Riabko also needs a bad day. Mathilda’s title chances look to have been effectively ended by Saturday’s three mechanical failures rather than anything likely to happen on the water on Sunday.
The fuel issues that hit both Mathilda Wiberg and Peter Morin in qualifying are worth watching. Two separate boats with fuel-related problems in the same session raises the question of whether this was isolated bad luck or something affecting more of the field, and if it recurs tomorrow it will not necessarily hit the same two drivers.
On balance, Riabko looks more likely than not to either win the title outright on Sunday or leave Vila Velha needing very little, with Hilmer Wiberg the driver with the clearest path to denying him.
The Grand Prix of Vila Velha de Ródão, the 2026 season finale, gets underway at 15:45 local time on Sunday.
John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
