Championship leader Stefan Arand says the Sharjah Team is bracing for a loss of more than 100 horsepower to altitude at this weekend’s Grand Prix of Kyrgyzstan, the first time an F1H2O field has raced at Issyk-Kul.
The lake sits at 1,600 metres, roughly a mile above sea level. Arand’s own estimate, given trackside ahead of first testing, is stark.
Speaking to F1H2O World Championship commentator Steve Michael, he revealed:
Theoretically, I think we’re losing over 100 horsepower at this altitude. You’re gonna feel it for sure.
The team’s only real reference point is Indonesia, an F1H2O race run at around 1,000 metres.
Issyk-Kul sits higher still, and Arand said the team would know more once the boats went in the water for the first testing session.
Arand arrives in Kyrgyzstan leading the championship, on the back of his win at the Regione Sardegna Grand Prix of Italy in Cagliari in May, a race that saw five boats barrel roll and only 11 of 18 starters classified.
Michael also put a number on Arand’s consistency: eight finishes from ten career Grand Prix starts, seven of them inside the top five, with only a single finish, a fourth place, outside the podium in a race he did not win.
On the circuit itself, Arand described a short but technical layout, a couple of right-handers, and lap times he expects to land close to the one-minute mark.
On the championship lead, he kept the credit away from himself.
It’s a great feeling, but big props to the team. It’s not possible without them. Our other guys have been putting in a lot of work before this race as well, analysing everything, so let’s see what it all comes together.
More From Kyrgyzstan
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Kyrgyzstan: Everything You Need to Know
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.
