Five drivers barrel rolled out of the Cagliari Grand Prix today. Shaun Torrente was one of them.
The Osprey Powerboat Rescue Team were on hand as usual to assist.
Osprey have been at the heart of F1H2O safety for many years. Founded in 1967 by divers from Stafford Sub Aqua Club after they attended a 24-hour powerboat race at Chasewater in the UK, they have since established themselves as one of the leading rescue teams in world powerboat racing.
Torrente patted his DAC hull after the incident to thank it for holding together and keeping him safe. Five drivers barrel rolled out of the race in Cagliari today. Every one of them walked away.
2023: A Different Story
In December 2023 in Sharjah, Torrente had another big accident and modern safety in a circuit boat saved him – his boat was clipped by a rival and he left the circuit on a stretcher. He sat out the entire 2024 season.
When he returned in 2025 and won his fourth world title, he said at the podium: “780 days ago, I left this place on a stretcher. I didn’t want my career to end that way.”
How It Got This Safe
The safety that kept Torrente and four other drivers safe in Cagliari today did not arrive by accident. It was built, tested, and mandated after four F1 powerboat drivers died in four months in 1984.
The Osprey Powerboat Rescue Team were part of that story too. When Chris Hodges tested his Percival Hodges Safety Cell at Draycote Water in January 1985 – the breakthrough that led directly to the enclosed cockpit every F1H2O driver races in today – Osprey stood by with their specialist drop-front rescue boats as the cell was dropped from a helicopter at speeds of up to 115mph.
Today was a reminder of how safe these boats are now, and how good the people in the rescue teams are.
The Full Story
How four deaths in four months in 1984 changed circuit powerboat racing forever – and the role the Osprey Powerboat Rescue Team played in building the safety standards that protect every driver today.
Read: How Four Deaths in Four Months Changed Circuit Racing Forever
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.
