H2O Racing has confirmed that the UIM F1H2O World Championship will hold a round in Kazakhstan for the first time in the sport’s history, racing at Kapchagay in the Almaty region in August 2027. The championship announced the round in partnership with IPROMEDIA, organiser of F1H2O’s own Grand Prix of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, and the Almaty Region Government.
The confirmation follows F1H2O’s first-ever Central Asian race weekend, the Grand Prix of Kyrgyzstan at Lake Issyk-Kul on July 31 to August 2, which H2O Racing has credited with demonstrating the region’s appetite for hosting events of this scale.
From Regional Deal to Official Calendar
PBN has followed this story since it first surfaced. In July, the Almaty region governor’s office announced it had signed a cooperation agreement with the Kazakhstan-based investment company iHolding and an official Saudi delegation for a 2027 stage at the Kapchagay Reservoir, but at the time neither H2O Racing, UIM nor F1H2O’s own channels had confirmed it. Thursday’s announcement is that confirmation, made directly by the championship rather than reported secondhand through a regional government press release.
Raimondo di San Germano, CEO of H2O Racing
We are delighted to have finalised this agreement and to bring F1H2O to Kazakhstan. I have been really impressed by the enthusiasm of our partners in Kazakhstan, and the facilities there naturally lend themselves to powerboat racing.
Like us, our Kazakh partners were very impressed with what they saw at our first Grand Prix in Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan and recognised the potential of an F1H2O race to create significant commercial and, especially, tourism opportunities for the country and the region, while bringing the beauty and attractiveness of the area to a global audience.
We at H2O Racing are delighted to be deepening our ties in the region and have the highest expectations for next year’s inaugural Grand Prix of Kazakhstan.
What’s Confirmed So Far
The round is set for August 2027 at Kapchagay in the Almaty region, with no exact dates yet given. Kazakhstan becomes the sixth country to host a round of the championship.
2026 F1H2O World Championship Standings
See how this season is shaping up before F1H2O heads to Central Asia again.
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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.
