Edgaras Riabko will start Sunday’s Grand Prix of Italy from pole position, topping Q3 at San Nazzaro to extend his run at the front of the 2026 UIM F2 World Championship.
The championship leader edged out Nelson Morin by 0.221 seconds in a tight top five that also included Mathilda Wiberg, Hilmer Wiberg and Peter Morin. Giacomo Sacchi’s session told a very different story: fastest in Q1 and still on the pace through Q2, before a dramatic drop to sixth in Q3 after completing just three laps. The DAC hull’s record at this venue is covered separately in DAC is Dominant in San Nazzaro UIM F2.
Speaking to PBN afterwards, Riabko described a session that swung with every lap:
Riabko:
This was amazing. My radio man told me many times, first, second, third, again you need one lap, again you need one lap. When I was first, they said now you must do it, one more very fast lap. I said okay. You push so much to the limit, and when you hear that, you prove yourself. I’m very happy.
Asked about the fight for the remaining top-six places, Riabko was full of praise for the battle behind him, calling it a very good fight.
Starting Grid
| Pos | No. | Driver | Nat | Time | Session |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 41 | Edgaras Riabko | LTU | 46.576 | Q3 |
| 2 | 33 | Nelson Morin | FRA | 46.797 | Q3 |
| 3 | 1 | Mathilda Wiberg | SWE | 46.915 | Q3 |
| 4 | 70 | Hilmer Wiberg | SWE | 46.936 | Q3 |
| 5 | 11 | Peter Morin | FRA | 47.333 | Q3 |
| 6 | 74 | Giacomo Sacchi | MON | 53.536 | Q3 |
| 7 | 5 | Tullio Abbate | ITA | 48.263 | Q2 |
| 8 | 3 | Owen Jelf | GBR | 48.424 | Q2 |
| 9 | 45 | Duarte Benavente | POR | 48.508 | Q2 |
| 10 | 85 | Luca Fornasarig | ITA | 49.597 | Q2 |
| 11 | 77 | Tobias Munthe-Kaas | NOR | 49.988 | Q2 |
| 12 | 16 | Romain Nedelec | ESP | 50.418 | Q2 |
| 13 | 2 | Johan Österberg | SWE | 50.099 | Q1 |
| 14 | 14 | Ian Blacker | GBR | 50.345 | Q1 |
| 15 | 27 | Andrè Solvang | NOR | 50.512 | Q1 |
| 16 | 96 | Roope Virtanen | FIN | 50.568 | Q1 |
| 17 | 9 | Mette Bjerknæs | GBR | 50.884 | Q1 |
| 18 | 91 | Buby Bertels | BEL | 51.569 | Q1 |
| 19 | 57 | Oleg Bocca | ITA | 54.111 | Q1 |
Grid order combines all three qualifying sessions: the top 6 from Q3, positions 7-12 from Q2, and 13-19 from Q1.
Benavente: “We’ve Solved the Issues”
Duarte Benavente will start ninth after missing the Q3 cut by three places. Speaking to PBN, the Portuguese driver put the result down to changing conditions across a long free practice session rather than a recurring issue, and is looking ahead to race day with confidence:
Talking about qualifying today, it was a bit difficult with some drivers, but that’s not an excuse, it’s the same for everybody. Unfortunately not being able to do the Q3, but I think we’ve solved all the issues from the last races and we’re heading to do a good race tomorrow.
He pointed to how much conditions shifted across the ninety-minute free practice session as a factor in the way qualifying played out:
In free practice, one hour and a half, things changed so much. In the beginning I was just using my prop and I was happy with what I tested, but conditions kept shifting. Some drivers went out at the beginning, some came out early, some qualified late, all in different conditions. That’s when you see the price.
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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.
