Buby Bertels lines up for his first UIM F2 race weekend at Viverone, four years after winning a world title in the boats his own family builds.
The son of Bernico Boats founder Nico Bertels, himself a multiple offshore world champion, Buby made his name in UIM Pleasure Navigation, taking the 2022 B300 world title with navigator Nico de Stoop and round wins at Benalmádena and Baiona.
Buby Bertels
We started with a prototype and then we made the perfect boat for offshore racing, to win any race with it. Once that was cleared out and we kept winning back to back, I lost a little bit of the edge, the joy to learn, because it was a very big learning experience. So I said to myself, we’re going to cool down for a year.
The push to try circuit racing came from his uncle.
Buby Bertels
I went to my uncle’s birthday, Danny Bertels, and he said, why don’t you just start doing Formula Two. I said, I’ve actually thought about that. I didn’t want to start in Formula Four. I know that sounds a little braggy, but I knew we’d have to start over again anyway, because the knowledge you have in offshore racing, you can’t use it. It’s a completely different set-up. Everything is different.
Bertels bought his F2 boat from Steve Hall in England, fending off a rival offer along the way.
Buby Bertels
First I had an offer from RPM Racing Team, and they made me a good offer, but we’re boat builders, we want to chase the boat and make it better, we don’t just want to put the driver in and drive it. Then we saw Mathilda driving the Molgaard, and I’m good friends with Peter Morin, so we started calling around. They said the fastest boat you can have is a Molgaard, and it’s not the easiest one to drive. I said, that’s straight down my alley.
Hall remains involved with the team.
Buby Bertels
He’s still with us, coming in with his knowledge. He’s been doing this for many years.
Bertels ran the boat for the first time on July 4 at Lake Alūksne. After Viverone, the plan is a full assault on the World Championship.
Buby Bertels
The trailer’s going to stay here, we’ll bring the boat back home, then straight to San Nazzaro, and hopefully the two races in Portugal straight after that.
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.
