Round three of the 2026 UIM F2 World Championship was meant to be remembered for its numbers. Nineteen boats, the biggest field of the season so far. Buby Bertels and Oleg Bocca making their World Championship debuts, Bertels’ arrival at San Nazzaro a story in itself after his boat suffered a barrel roll at the standalone European Championship at Viverone a few weekends before, sent for a full rebuild at Molgaard’s factory in Denmark and returned to Belgium just 24 hours before the team had to leave for Italy. Edgaras Riabko in a good position to extend his championship lead after taking pole position. Instead, San Nazzaro will be remembered for what happened seconds after the start of Sunday’s deciding heat.
On the Water
Free practice was topped by Giacomo Sacchi on 46.561, with Nelson Morin second. Qualifying ran across three knockout sessions: Mathilda Wiberg was fastest in Q1 on 48.424, Hilmer Wiberg topped Q2 on 47.631, and Edgaras Riabko took pole in the top-six shootout of Q3 with a 46.576, edging Nelson Morin by 0.221 seconds. Championship rival Giacomo Sacchi endured a dramatic session, fastest through Q1 and still on form in Q2, before a Q3 that ended after just three laps and left him sixth. Sunday’s morning warm-up again went to Riabko, fastest ahead of Sacchi and Mathilda Wiberg.
The Accident
The race got underway at 16:00 local time. Within seconds of the start of the decisive heat, a collision brought the race to an immediate halt under red flag.
Race officials confirmed the decision to end the day’s competition:
Today’s race at San Nazzaro has been cancelled. Race officials made the decision following a serious accident involving four boats. With competitors still in shock, it was decided it would not be right to continue racing today.
That initial statement, issued on Sunday night, put the number of boats involved at four. As the full picture emerged over the following days, five boats were confirmed to have been affected in some way.
André Solvang
André Solvang, 22, of Sharjah Team, was the most seriously hurt. He was recovered from the water, sedated and placed in a medically induced coma, and airlifted by helicopter to Ospedale Maggiore di Parma. He remained in intensive care in reserved prognosis in the hours that followed.
On Monday, positive news: Solvang was taken off the ventilator and regained consciousness. He does not remember the accident, which doctors told the family is expected after this kind of trauma, and considered a positive sign for his neurological recovery. Morten Solvang has since told PBN that André is no longer in intensive care, though he remains in hospital under close monitoring.
His father, Morten Solvang, told PBN the boat’s safety capsule performed exactly as designed, remaining intact through the impact in a way he believes significantly reduced the force transmitted to his son.
Roope Virtanen
Roope Virtanen, 24, of Virtanen Racing, was also injured. He was released from hospital on Sunday night. Posting from San Nazzaro, Virtanen described his own condition:
The Italian races ended in a crash. Otherwise I’m feeling pretty okay, but my ankle is completely swollen and so painful I can’t walk on it. A small bruise near my eye, a sore finger, and a stiff neck, but it could have been a lot worse. André is still in hospital, but on the road to recovery.
His ankle was x-rayed and no fracture was found, though he remained in considerable pain and planned to have it rechecked once back in Finland.
Buby Bertels, Romain Nedelec, Mette Bjerknæs
Three other drivers were connected to the incident. Buby Bertels was physically unharmed, though his Molgaard suffered heavy damage.
Romain Nedelec of Shark Racing Team was also unhurt, his boat, too, was badly damaged.
Mette Bjerknæs of JRM Racing said she was marginally impacted during the start, sustaining no injury herself, though her boat suffered damage to one sponson.
The Investigation
The Carabinieri, one of Italy’s national police forces with both military and civil law enforcement responsibilities, opened an inquiry into the cause of the collision on Sunday night. Boats involved were seized as evidence, a standard step in Italy following an accident of this severity.
Under Italian procedure, evidentiary seizures of this kind are released once prosecutors determine the material is no longer needed for the investigation, a decision that can happen at any stage rather than on a fixed timeline. With André’s condition now improving, it is possible the boats could be released sooner rather than later, though no timeline has been confirmed. Bjerknæs said that if the seizure continues, she will miss the season’s final two rounds in Portugal.
Looking Ahead
Two rounds remain in the 2026 UIM F2 World Championship season, both in Portugal. For now, the paddock’s focus remains on the drivers’ recovery.
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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.
