American F1H2O driver Brent Dillard has announced his return to competitive racing following successful spinal surgery in April, with the China CTIC Shenzhen team member targeting the championship finale in Sharjah this December after months of intensive rehabilitation.
The South Carolina racer took to the water this week for the first time since undergoing surgery under the care of Dr Richard Frisch at the Southeastern Spine Institute, marking his first steps toward returning to a team that has relied on substitute drivers throughout the 2025 season.
Seven-Month Recovery Journey
Dillard’s absence from the F1H2O World Championship has spanned the entire 2025 season, forcing China CTIC Team to field different substitute drivers alongside lead pilot Peter Morin at each round. Australian Grant Trask filled the seat for the opening round in Indonesia, whilst Canadian Kyle Maskall stepped in for the double-header in China. Most recently, former UIM F2 World Champion Stefan Hagin has been announced for the Jeddah Grand Prix later this month.
The 39-year-old’s return to the cockpit represents the culmination of careful planning between medical professionals and his technical team. The rehabilitation programme has been supported by his father Steve Dillard, alongside long-time crew chief and boat builder David Moore, who spent a week working with the American driver to re-establish his confidence and physical capability in the Moore hull.
Dillard expressed his gratitude to his medical team and support network on social media, acknowledging the uncertainty that marked his recovery period. Dr Frisch, whose practice at the Southeastern Spine Institute in Mount Pleasant specialises in minimally invasive spinal procedures, performed the surgery that has enabled the driver’s return to competition.
Championship Campaign Cut Short
The timing of Dillard’s injury proved particularly unfortunate, occurring just as the 2025 season was set to begin. His enforced absence has prevented him from building on his 2024 campaign, during which he finished tenth in the drivers’ championship with a pair of sixth-place finishes representing his best results.
The American joined China CTIC Team at the start of 2023, making his F1H2O debut on Lake Toba with a sixth-place finish. His progression to the premier class followed three seasons in the UIM F2 World Championship with JRM Racing, where he claimed his final F2 victory in Portugal and finished sixth in the 2022 drivers’ championship.
His career credentials extend well beyond his recent international campaigns. Born on a military base in Jacksonville, Florida, and currently residing in Dalzell, South Carolina, Dillard has accumulated an extensive list of national achievements spanning multiple American powerboat racing classes.
American Powerboat Racing
Dillard was inducted into the APBA Hall of Champions in both 2004 and 2008, and his national championship victories include three Formula 3 titles in 2004, 2009 and 2010, alongside the 2013 Formula 2 USA Championship. He also claimed victory in the 2021 American Formula 1 race at Lake Havasu.
His transition from basketball player at Hampden-Sydney College to professional powerboat racer proved spectacularly successful, with the American becoming a nine-time APBA US National High Points champion across three classes. He competed in eight North American APBA and 14 US APBA National Championships before making the move to international competition.
In 2015, he was named Rookie of the Year in the Formula 1 IOGP series, further demonstrating his ability to adapt quickly to new racing environments and competitive levels.
Intensive Training Programme Ahead
With over a month until the Grand Prix of Sharjah on December 19-21, Dillard has outlined an intensive training schedule designed to rebuild the physical conditioning and mental sharpness required for F1H2O competition with the American maximising seat time in the boat.
John Moore’s 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 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
