Sacchi Dominates Douro

Sacchi Dominates Douro: Epic F2 Portugal Win!

Peso da Régua, Portugal – 14 September 2025
The UIM F2 World Championship thundered into Portugal at the breathtaking Douro River circuit in Peso da Régua, where 19 F2 boats battled over a demanding 1,685-metre course flanked by terraced vineyards and dramatic gorges. With a rolling start, the 45-lap race delivered edge-of-your-seat action under blazing sunshine and gusting winds that tested drivers’ precision and boat setups. Giacomo Sacchi claimed a commanding victory—his first of the 2025 season.

Pre-Race Context: Tight Championship Battle Heads to the Douro

Heading into the weekend, the title fight was tighter than ever after three rounds. Frenchman Peter Morin led with 30 points, but Sweden’s Hilmer Wiberg (24 points) and the British duo of Matthew Palfreyman and Mathilda Wiberg (both on 22 points) were close behind. Estonia’s Stefan Arand sat fifth with 11 points, while Norway’s Andrè Solvang and Finland’s Roope Virtanen were level on 10. Lithuania’s Edgaras Riabko and France’s Nelson Morin followed on 9 points apiece, with Sacchi lurking on 5. With the Douro’s tight turns and unpredictable winds, chaos was expected. The field was stacked with talent, including local favourite Duarte Benavente and the UAE’s Rashed Al Qemzi.

The Race: Sacchi’s Masterclass Amid Windy Drama

With temperatures soaring and gusts whipping across the Douro, the field launched under rolling start conditions at around 16:20 local time. Sacchi seized the lead from pole and by lap 4 had set a blistering best lap of 45.972 seconds. Hilmer Wiberg shadowed closely, while Mathilda Wiberg methodically climbed to third.

Riabko rocketed up to fourth, clocking his best lap on lap 33 (45.617s), and pressured the Swedes ahead. Nelson Morin held fifth, fending off a charging Arand and Virtanen. Drama struck 10 laps from the end when Palfreyman was disqualified for pushing wide. The Briton, who had been mounting a comeback, scored zero points—destroying his title hopes.

Sacchi maintained composure through the final stint, crossing the line at 17:04 after 37:31.659 for his maiden win of the year. Hilmer Wiberg finished just 1.568 seconds behind, while Mathilda Wiberg secured third, 3.276 seconds off the pace—her best lap (46.021s) coming late on lap 30. Riabko was fourth (+7.236s), his pace keeping him in contention throughout. The top four completed all 45 laps, while the next group lost one lap amid the battles.

Nelson Morin was fifth after 44 laps, ahead of Arand, Virtanen, Al Qemzi, Peter Morin, and Benavente. Further back, Österberg, Al Yafei, and Jelf managed 43 laps but scored no points. Munthe-Kaas retired six laps early. Solvang, Dagilis, Lehto, and Bjerknæs were early casualties, sidelined by mechanical issues and incidents.

Sacchi’s victory was a tactical triumph—capitalising on clean air and superior boat handling in challenging wind conditions.

Official Race Results – UIM F2 Portugal Grand Prix

Position	Driver	Country	Boat No.	Laps	Best Lap	Gap to Winner	Points
1	Giacomo Sacchi	Italy	74	45	45.972s (Lap 4)	—	20
2	Hilmer Wiberg	Sweden	—	45	—	+1.568s	15
3	Mathilda Wiberg	Sweden	7	45	46.021s (Lap 30)	+3.276s	12
4	Edgaras Riabko	Lithuania	—	45	45.617s (Lap 33)	+7.236s	9
5	Nelson Morin	France	—	44	—	+1 Lap	7
6	Stefan Arand	Estonia	—	44	—	+1 Lap	5
7	Roope Virtanen	Finland	—	44	—	+1 Lap	4
8	Rashed Al Qemzi	UAE	—	44	—	+1 Lap	3
9	Peter Morin	France	—	44	—	+1 Lap	2
10	Duarte Benavente	Portugal	45	44	—	+1 Lap	1
—	Matthew Palfreyman	Great Britain	14	—	—	DSQ	0