Following our story on Sunseeker yesterday we thought it would be interesting to examine the powerboat manufacturing sector more broadly.
What we found suggests the crisis at Britain’s iconic yacht builder is part of a far wider collapse affecting the entire UK marine industry.
Sunseeker International has been forced to secure emergency capital investment from specialist lenders as the luxury yacht builder battles collapsing US sales and mounting inventory problems.
The crisis marks the second time in 15 years that the Poole-based manufacturer has required a financial rescue, with the company’s largest export market now in freefall.
Powerboat News has been accepted into Google News just three months after launching, placing powerboat racing coverage alongside mainstream sports in one of the world’s primary news platforms.
Editor John Moore said about the inclusion: It’s incredible that Powerboat News has only been publishing since the UIM F2 races in Portugal in September and three … Read more
The Union Internationale Motonautique has named Mathilda Wiberg of Sweden and Paul Richard Laur of Estonia as its 2025 Driver of the Year and Junior Driver of the Year.
Both winners were selected through a two-stage voting process combining public votes with UIM Council Member decisions.
C&B Racing Academy has described 2025 as an exceptional season following Massimiliano Cremona’s fourth consecutive F250 World Championship title and the team’s strengthened youth development programme ahead of hosting a major international event in 2026.
The Piacenza-based driver added the European F250 Championship to his world title.
The International Hot Rod Association has committed $2.75 million in prize money across three powerboat racing disciplines following its acquisition by Ohio electrical contractor Darryl Cuttell in December 2024.
Cuttell purchased the drag racing sanctioning body from chassis builder Larry Jeffers through a newly formed limited liability company, Cuttell Motorsports LLC.
The International Hot Rod Association has released the official 2026 IHRA Offshore Series National Championship schedule, featuring seven championship rounds across the United States and a World Championship finale at a date and location to be announced.
The schedule provides a defined championship pathway for competitors following IHRA’s recent acquisitions of Powerboat P1 USA/P1 Offshore … Read more
The International Hot Rod Association has appointed Tommy Thomassie as Executive Vice President, Director of Powerboating, establishing formal leadership for the organisation’s rapidly expanding powerboat portfolio.
The appointment advances IHRA’s long-term vision for offshore powerboat racing and tunnel boat competition, creating a unified leadership structure across multiple powerboat disciplines.
The 2025 powerboat racing season delivered historic milestones across multiple disciplines, with Mathilda Wiberg becoming the first female UIM Formula 2 World Champion whilst Shaun Torrente secured his fourth F1H2O title in a championship battle that went down to the final race.
The year also witnessed significant institutional changes as the International Hot Rod Association … Read more
Oleg Bocca will step up to UIM F2 for the 2026 season, marking a significant progression in his racing career after competing in Formula 4 and GT30 categories in recent years.
The 22-year-old Italian driver confirmed his F2 campaign following the release of the 2026 UIM F2 World and European Championship calendars.
Abu Dhabi Powerboat Racing Team have confirmed that Rashed Al Qemzi and Mansoor Al Mansoori will continue racing for the Emirati outfit next season.
The announcement comes less than 48 hours after Jumaa Al Qubaisi was appointed team supervisor, marking the latest step in the team’s strategic planning for 2026.
Two-time UIM F1H2O World Champion Sami Seliö has posted what appears to be a retirement message on social media, potentially bringing to a close a 27-year career at powerboat racing’s highest level.
The Finnish driver shared an image on Sunday afternoon showing him in his Red Devil race suit overlooking a race venue, accompanied by … Read more
The International Hot Rod Association’s expansion into powerboat racing will launch with its first sanctioned event when the Bradenton Area River Regatta hosts the IHRA F1 Powerboat Series on February 20 and 21, 2026.
The Florida event marks the competitive debut of IHRA’s powerboat operations following its acquisition of the American tunnel boat series earlier … Read more
The United Kingdom Offshore Powerboat Racing Association has confirmed a five-round championship for 2026 featuring offshore classes 1, 1L, 2, 3B, 3C, 3D and 3E.
The season opens with the MDL Marinas Shamrock Round The Island race at Southampton’s Shamrock Quay on 15-17 May.
Abu Dhabi Powerboat Racing Team has appointed Jumaa Al Qubaisi as team supervisor, promoting a 25-year veteran from behind the pit wall into a leadership role overseeing race operations.
The announcement came through Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club on Thursday, with Thani Al Qamzi, Executive Director of Abu Dhabi Team and Modern Events, confirming Al … Read more
The International Hot Rod Association has completed the acquisition of Memphis International Raceway in Millington, Tennessee, closing on the historic motorsports facility on December 23.
The purchase marks the latest expansion for an organisation that has diversified beyond drag racing in recent months, having acquired American F1 tunnel boat racing earlier this month.
The International Hot Rod Association has announced the launch of the IHRA Pro Watercraft Racing Series, a professional personal watercraft championship featuring $250,000 in prize money and both stand up and runabout competition when it debuts in 2026.
The series represents IHRA’s latest expansion in powerboat racing after the organisation acquired American F1 tunnel boat … Read more
Rusty Wyatt’s two-season UIM F1H2O World Championship career reads like a masterclass in consistency and speed.
The 31-year-old Canadian has accumulated 194 championship points from 17 race starts, finished on the podium in both seasons, and claimed four Grand Prix victories.
Grant Trask claimed the best result of his F1H2O career with second place at the Road to Sharjah–Grand Prix of Sharjah, finishing behind Stefan Arand’s maiden victory to secure sixth position in the final drivers’ championship standings.
The Australian, who races without his prosthetic leg, delivered a mature performance to hold off Sharjah Team’s Rusty … Read more
Estonian driver Stefan Arand delivered a breakthrough performance at the Road to Sharjah–Grand Prix of Sharjah, claiming his maiden UIM F1H2O World Championship victory on only his ninth Grand Prix start.
The 23-year-old from Tallinn dominated the championship-deciding race on Khalid Lagoon, leading home Sharjah Team-mate Rusty Wyatt in a 1-3 finish for the UAE-based … Read more
Australian F1H2O driver Damon Cohen has been transferred to a new hospital in the UAE where surgeons are planning to perform spinal surgery on Christmas Eve following his qualifying accident at the Road to Sharjah–Grand Prix of Sharjah.
Cohen suffered a double barrel roll at turn one with just 12 seconds remaining in the Q1 … Read more
Rumours swirling in the Sharjah pits today suggest that a multi world champion could be joining a leading UAE-based team next season.
Rumours are also rife of a new team running a pair of APX four-stroke V8 engines in 2026.
Alec Weckström will start Sunday’s championship-deciding Grand Prix from the back of the grid after Victory Team elected to change his engine following Saturday’s mystifying lack of pace.
The Finn qualified second but struggled badly in Sprint Race 2, finishing a lap down on team-mate Shaun Torrente after describing the experience as “feeling like racing … Read more
Grant Trask topped the times in Sunday morning’s warm-up session as Shaun Torrente and Jonas Andersson prepared for their championship showdown at the Road to Sharjah–Grand Prix of Sharjah.
The Team Sweden driver posted a fastest lap of 48.594 seconds to boost his confidence ahead of the afternoon’s title-deciding Grand Prix, whilst both championship contenders … Read more
Victory Team claimed their first UIM F1H2O Team Championship as Jonas Andersson and Shaun Torrente split Saturday’s sprint race victories at the Road to Sharjah–Grand Prix of Sharjah.
Andersson stormed to a commanding win in Sprint Race 1 whilst Torrente controlled Sprint Race 2, with the combined results confirming the Dubai-based team’s maiden F1H2O title … Read more
Jonas Andersson claimed pole position for the Road to Sharjah–Grand Prix of Sharjah with a stunning lap of 47.191 seconds, but qualifying was overshadowed by a dramatic double barrel roll that sent Damon Cohen to hospital.
The defending champion edged Alec Weckström by 0.119 seconds in the final six-driver shootout as conditions improved on Khaled … Read more
Shaun Torrente topped the times in Free Practice 2 to end Friday on top after Jonas Andersson led the opening session on a day disrupted by unprecedented flooding at the Road to Sharjah–Grand Prix of Sharjah.
The championship leader posted a fastest lap of 47.992 seconds in the one-hour session to edge Andersson by 0.338 … Read more
Jonas Andersson topped Free Practice 1 at the Road to Sharjah–Grand Prix of Sharjah after intense thunderstorms and flooding forced officials to modify the schedule on Friday afternoon.
The Team Sweden driver posted a fastest lap of 48.365 seconds on Khaled Lagoon as crews battled to dry out equipment following unprecedented weather conditions that inundated … Read more
Victory Team claimed their third consecutive victory at the Dubai Grand Prix finale on Sunday, but a first-turn collision reshaped the championship standings as HPI Fujairah Racing Team secured second place overall after Team GB retired from the incident.
Salem Al Adidi and Eisa Al Ali won the 15-lap race under cloudy skies at Sunset … Read more
Rain and wind are forecast for the Road to Sharjah–Grand Prix of Sharjah this weekend, threatening to disrupt the championship finale in conditions never before seen at the UAE venue.
Weather forecasts show a 75 per cent chance of precipitation on Friday and Saturday with winds reaching 24 kilometres per hour, marking a dramatic departure … Read more
Victory Team won the XCAT Pole Position Championship by a single point over Sharjah Team in a dramatic final qualifying session at the Dubai Grand Prix on Saturday morning.
Salem Al Adidi and Eisa Al Ali posted a time of 2:27.435 to secure pole position for Sunday’s finale, whilst simultaneously ending Sharjah Team’s season-long qualifying … Read more
