Andersson Snatches Sprint Race 1 Victory As Arand’s Engine Fails

Defending champion Jonas Andersson seized a dramatic victory in Sprint Race 1 at the Shanghai Grand Prix after pole-sitter Stefan Arand’s engine lost power in the closing stages, handing Team Sweden a stunning 1-2 finish.

The 20-lap race had appeared to be firmly under Arand’s control as the young Estonian led from pole position and was lapping backmarkers by lap 10, but a cruel technical failure with just four laps remaining robbed him of what would have been a maiden F1H2O victory.

Early Dominance

Starting from pole position following his historic qualifying performance, Arand made a clean getaway and immediately began to pull away from the field. Behind him, Andersson settled into second place ahead of his new Team Sweden team-mate Grant Trask.

The race was quickly reduced to eight runners when British driver Ben Jelf was unable to start due to a technical issue, while Marit Stromoy’s race ended on lap 3 when she stopped with an engine problem, bringing out the safety measures.

By lap 5, Arand and Andersson had established a commanding advantage at the front, posting lap times significantly quicker than their qualifying efforts. Arand clocked a best lap of 00:41.934 – faster than his pole position time – while Andersson responded with an even quicker 00:41.548, keeping the pressure on the leader with a gap of just 0.03 seconds.

Arand Extends Lead

As the race settled down, Arand began to extend his advantage, demonstrating the pace that had earned him pole position. By lap 10, the Sharjah Team driver was lapping backmarkers, while Andersson maintained second place with the gap standing at 0.02″939.

With eight laps completed, Arand appeared in complete control, managing his lead over the defending champion while navigating traffic. Team Sweden’s Trask held a comfortable third place, ensuring all three podium positions were secure barring any late drama.

Heartbreak For Arand

Drama struck with just four laps remaining when Arand’s engine suddenly lost power. The Estonian, who had controlled the race from the front, was helpless as Andersson swept past to take the lead. The Swedish defending champion seized the opportunity, immediately pulling away as Arand struggled with a significant power deficit.

Two laps later, the nightmare continued for Arand as Trask also overtook the stricken Sharjah Team boat, demoting the pole-sitter to third and securing a Team Sweden 1-2 finish. For Trask, running in Andersson’s colors for the first time after his switch from Team China, it marked his best-ever F1H2O result.

Final Classification

Andersson crossed the line to claim victory, his first points of the weekend after missing Q3 due to technical issues. Trask secured a career-best second place on his Team Sweden debut, while Arand nursed his ailing boat home to salvage third place and valuable championship points despite his engine woes.

Alberto Comparato finished fourth ahead of Damon Cohen in fifth, both drivers completing strong races to score points. Mansoor Al Mansoori, Alexandre Bourgeot, and Kyle Maskall were the only other finishers, each completing 17 laps after being lapped by the leaders.

Driver Reactions

Andersson reflected on his fortune after inheriting the lead: “I almost had him (Arand) at the start but it is difficult to start when you are not in pole position. I wanted to be fair to him and Grant. Stefan had a bigger propeller and I wanted to fight with him. It was not possible and then, unfortunately for him, he had some mistake and we won. For sure, tomorrow we have a different set-up because this was not working. I knew Grant was good but not this good. We can be a super strong team. I have been looking for this for a long time. Maybe he beats me next time!”

Trask was thrilled with his breakthrough result: “I feel awesome. I’ve got to give it to Team Sweden. What a package they have put together. It is awesome, very loose and very fast. I hope that this a long relationship. Let’s hope we get Team Sweden back on the top.”

A disappointed Arand kept his comments brief: “We just lost power. I am happy we got third.”

Sprint Race 1 Results

Championship Implications

Andersson’s victory, combined with championship leader Rusty Wyatt’s absence from Sprint Race 1 (drawn into Sprint Race 2), allows the defending champion to close the gap in the standings. Arand’s podium finish despite his late engine troubles keeps him in contention, while Trask’s impressive debut for Team Sweden sees him score his first major points of the season.

The heartbreak for Arand – who had the pace to win comfortably – will sting, but his speed throughout the race, including setting the second-fastest lap of 00:41.934, demonstrates he remains a serious threat for Saturday’s Grand Prix.

Attention now turns to Sprint Race 2 at 15:40 local time, where Shaun Torrente will start from pole position ahead of Erik Stark and Wyatt as the second group of ten drivers battles for championship points on the Huangpu River.