Sweden’s Jonas Andersson did everything in his power to win his first UIM F1H2O World Championship, producing a lap-perfect drive to take victory in the Grand Prix of Sharjah, only to have the title snatched from his grasp on the final lap by defending champion Shaun Torrente.
Going into the race with a five-point deficit, Andersson started from pole with his Team Abu Dhabi rival in fifth. A win for Andersson with Torrente finishing third would have given him the title, and that is precisely how the pair ran for 44 of 45 laps, with CTIC F1’s Philippe Chiappe the man in the middle.
Half way round the final lap, Chiappe slowed with a trim issue. Torrente moved up into second and followed Andersson across the finishing line to retain his title. The two rivals finished the season tied on 79 points apiece, with Torrente winning the championship on countback.
“Sure it is nice to get the win but this was my chance for the championship and it doesn’t come every year. I am very disappointed. I was fast all race and in the end to win but lose out when you have the same points is very hard to take.” Jonas Andersson
It is the first time in the championship’s 36-year history that the world title has been decided on countback, with Torrente winning his second successive championship on the strength of a better second-place tally. The defending champion revealed post-race that Team Abu Dhabi had been running a damaged engine throughout, having damaged it in qualifying.
“We tried to keep it quiet in the paddock that we had a hurt engine which we damaged in qualifying but the team did everything to make sure it got me round. It was only an hour before the race that we decided not to change it, roll the dice and go with it. It held out but the last five laps it was way down but got me to the end.
“It was an amazing situation, really dramatic. The three of us were the class of the field and just went away from everybody else. I don’t know what happened to Philippe but Jonas did a great job, did everything he could and had to. Today we had that bit of luck that we all need sometimes.” Shaun Torrente
Poland’s Bartek Marszalek produced his best drive of the year to take third, moving up from ninth off the dock and scything through the field to claim his first podium and highest year-end finish.
“This is a great result and we deserve it after so many years. It was our time and place and I am confident I will be able to repeat this moment. This is a Christmas present for my dad, the team and my family.” Bartek Marszalek
Team Sharjah’s Sami Selio took fourth, his best result of the season, with Chiappe classified fifth despite his late retirement. Torrente’s teammate Thani Al Qemzi was excluded from the results post-race. Alberto Comparato matched his best finish of the season in sixth for F1 Atlantic, with Victory’s David Del Pin seventh and Cedric Deguisne picking up his first points of the season in eighth.
Ten of the 18 starters failed to finish. Alex Carella was the most dramatic retirement, his crash on lap seven bringing out the first yellow flag; a second was waved on lap 14 for the rescue team to replace a damaged turn buoy. Despite retiring on lap 23 after running in the top six, Emirates Racing’s Marit Stromoy held on with 37 points to earn her highest overall championship finish, taking third in the final standings.
UIM F1H2O Grand Prix of Sharjah – amended result
| Pos | Driver | Nationality | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jonas Andersson | Sweden | – |
| 2 | Shaun Torrente | USA/UAE | +6.24s |
| 3 | Bartek Marszalek | Poland | +8.28s |
| 4 | Sami Selio | Finland | +16.26s |
| 5 | Philippe Chiappe | France | +20.22s |
| 6 | Alberto Comparato | Italy | +1 lap |
| 7 | David Del Pin | Italy/UAE | +1 lap |
| 8 | Cedric Deguisne | France | +2 laps |
Thani Al Qemzi (UAE) – post-race disqualification.
UIM F1H2O World Championship standings – top 6
| Pos | Driver | Nationality | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shaun Torrente | USA/UAE | 79 |
| 2 | Jonas Andersson | Sweden | 79 |
| 3 | Marit Stromoy | Norway | 37 |
| 4 | Thani Al Qemzi | UAE | 27 |
| 5 | Bartek Marszalek | Poland | 26 |
| 6 | Alex Carella | Italy/UAE | 25 |
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.
