Jonas Andersson’s move to Team Abu Dhabi for 2026 closes a circle that began 17 years ago on a Liuzhou podium. The photograph, taken by Chris Davies whilst on assignment for H2O Full Throttle at the 2009 Grand Prix of China, shows Andersson celebrating victory alongside Thani Al Qemzi and Guido Cappellini.
The three drivers will reunite at Team Abu Dhabi in 2026, with Cappellini now Team Principal and Al Qemzi serving as Executive Director. Andersson joins as the team’s lead driver after nearly two decades running his own operation.
Championship Battle in 2009
The Liuzhou podium captured a pivotal moment in the 2009 season. Andersson, racing for Team Azerbaijan, had won his third career Grand Prix and first of that season at St. Petersburg three weeks earlier. The victory moved him to third in the championship with 52 points.
Al Qemzi led the standings with 65 points after a win in Portimão and three podiums. Cappellini, driving for Zepter Team, trailed in seventh with 30 points but would mount a late-season charge to claim his 10th world title.
The 2009 season marked one of F1H2O’s most competitive eras, with 16 races across eight venues. Andersson’s early championship challenge faded as Cappellini’s experience proved decisive. Al Qemzi finished runner-up to Cappellini, scoring 143 points with six podiums.
Paths Diverged, Then Converged
Andersson established Team Sweden and developed into one of F1H2O’s most consistent performers. He won world titles in 2021, 2023 and 2024, defeating Al Qemzi by a single point in the 2021 championship. That season marked Al Qemzi’s closest approach to the drivers’ title he had pursued since his 2009 runner-up finish.
Cappellini retired from driving after 2009, transitioning to team management. Under his leadership, Team Abu Dhabi won multiple world titles with drivers including Alex Carella and Shaun Torrente. The team achieved a clean sweep of F1H2O’s major honours in 2022.
Al Qemzi continued racing for Team Abu Dhabi throughout his career, accumulating 10 Grand Prix wins and 45 podium finishes across 157 race starts. He remained competitive into his 40s, finishing third in 2022 at age 44.
Three Years in Development
Cappellini revealed his pursuit of Andersson began three years ago during a meeting in Como, Italy. The protracted negotiations reflected both Andersson’s commitment to Team Sweden and the complexity of assembling a championship-contending operation.
Team Abu Dhabi struggled after 2022 despite its formidable history. The signing of Andersson alongside returning driver Erik Stark signals the team’s determination to reclaim its position at the championship’s front.
The provisional 2026 calendar includes rounds in China, Jeddah and Sharjah. Seventeen years after that Liuzhou podium, the three men photographed there will work together to add another world championship to Team Abu Dhabi’s collection.
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.
