Pittsburgh’s rivers will host Formula One powerboat racing again from 2027, under a new three-year partnership between SportsPITTSBURGH and the IHRA Powerboat Series announced on Friday, July 3, 2026. The event marks the first time in a decade that the sport has raced in the city.
It will be the first event owned and operated outright by SportsPITTSBURGH, the sports development division of VisitPITTSBURGH.
The announcement was made at a press conference on Pittsburgh’s North Shore, attended and reported on by outlets including WPXI, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, TribLIVE and CBS News.
What’s Planned for 2027
Racing takes place on the Allegheny River over the July 4 weekend in 2027, with Formula One, Formula Lights and Tri-Hull all on the entry list.
Jerad Bachar, President and CEO of VisitPITTSBURGH, said:
“Pittsburgh has earned a national reputation for hosting world-class sporting events, and this partnership represents the next evolution of that success. We’re not simply bringing powerboat racing back to our rivers — we’re creating a signature Fourth of July tradition that showcases one of Pittsburgh’s greatest assets, strengthens our visitor economy and gives travelers another compelling reason to choose Pittsburgh year after year.”
Tim Seebold, managing director of F1 for the IHRA, has kept the Formula One class running through years of uncertain ownership before IHRA’s acquisition of the series brought institutional backing in 2026. He said:
“We’re thrilled to bring the inaugural Formula One Powerboat National Championship to Pittsburgh for the next three years. This is such a fabulous venue for these high-powered watercrafts, and, with the other two classes, we are looking for some great racing on these tricky waters.”
The two-day event will also include free entertainment away from the water, among it fly-boarders, stunt dogs and a drone light show. Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor welcomed the announcement:
“Major events like this are a win for our city. They bring local families and visitors to the riverfronts, create vibrancy Downtown and support our local businesses. Adding the Formula One Powerboat National Championship to Pittsburgh’s Independence Day celebration is an exciting opportunity to create a new tradition on our rivers.”
The IHRA Backdrop
The deal lands a few days after IHRA confirmed it had cut its remaining 2026 powerboat schedule to a single round each across Offshore, F1 and Outlaw Drag Boat Racing, citing budget issues that emerged earlier in the season. Seebold’s F1 series took the heaviest hit of the three: what was planned as an eight-round season finishing in Miami has been cut to five. Alton, Illinois, on July 17-19 is now both the sole remaining round of 2026 and the championship decider.
A multi-year commitment to a new flagship venue sits alongside that reality rather than replacing it, and IHRA has said a fuller 2027 schedule will follow in the coming months.
No ticketing or detailed schedule information has been released. Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers Regatta, which for decades hosted Formula One powerboat racing on the same stretch of the Allegheny, has been unable to secure a sponsor or return since its 2019 cancellation, despite repeated announcements of a comeback.
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.
