A power failure at the North Obhur Waterfront circuit has forced organisers to revise Thursday’s schedule at the inaugural F1H2O Grand Prix of Jeddah, reducing free practice from three sessions to two.
The opening day of Saudi Arabia’s first F1H2O race was due to begin with the driver briefing at 09:00 local time (AST, UTC+3) followed by three one-hour practice sessions. Teams will now complete just two sessions, both scheduled for the afternoon.
Free Practice 1 will now run from 13:30 to 14:30, with Free Practice 2 following at 15:00-16:00. The original morning sessions at 10:00 and 11:30 have been cancelled, along with the third session that was scheduled for 15:00.
Revised Thursday schedule
| Session | Local time (AST, UTC+3) | Your time |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, November 27 | ||
| Free Practice 1 | 13:30 – 14:30 | 13:30 |
| Free Practice 2 | 15:00 – 16:00 | 15:00 |
Reduced preparation time
The revised schedule leaves teams with two hours of track time instead of three to adapt their boats to the Red Sea circuit’s saltwater conditions. The 2,015-metre course features six turning buoys with a minimum water depth of 11 metres and minimum width of 115 metres.
Championship leader Alec Weckström arrives in Jeddah holding a seven-point advantage over Victory Team teammate Shaun Torrente, with Canada’s Rusty Wyatt a further point behind in third. Defending champion Jonas Andersson sits fourth on 50 points, 16 behind Weckström.
German driver Stefan Hagin will make his F1H2O debut for China CTIC Team during the condensed practice schedule, replacing Australian rookie Kyle Maskall who competed in the championship’s two Chinese rounds.
Friday and Saturday schedule unchanged
Friday’s programme remains as planned, with qualifying at 10:00 followed by two sprint races at 15:35 and 16:15. Saturday’s main Grand Prix is scheduled for 16:05.
The Jeddah round marks the penultimate event of the 2025 season, with the championship concluding at the Road to Sharjah Grand Prix on December 19-21.
John Moore’s 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 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
