Shanghai Practice: Andersson Leads The Way As Teams Dial In For Qualifying

Three contrasting practice sessions on Thursday saw different drivers stake their claim for pole position, but it was defending champion Jonas Andersson who emerged with the fastest time of the day as the UIM F1H2O World Championship prepares for a crucial qualifying session in Shanghai.

Across the three one-hour practice sessions on the Huangpu River, teams gathered vital data ahead of Friday’s qualifying and Saturday’s Grand Prix, with lap times tumbling as drivers grew accustomed to the challenging Shanghai circuit.

Morning Glory For Stark

Team Abu Dhabi’s Erik Stark opened proceedings with authority in Free Practice 1, setting a benchmark time of 00:45.151 that would stand as the fastest lap of the opening session. The Swedish driver needed 25 laps to find his rhythm but delivered when it mattered most.

Marit Stromoy impressed in second with 00:46.288, showcasing the pace of her four-stroke V8 360 APX Mercury-engined DAC, while Stefan Arand claimed third after leading for much of the session.

Championship leader Rusty Wyatt endured a difficult opening practice, managing only 16th fastest with 00:50.299, while several front-runners including Andersson finished outside the top five.

Andersson’s Afternoon Masterclass

The complexion of the day changed dramatically in Free Practice 2 as Andersson delivered a statement of intent. The defending champion smashed the morning’s benchmark by nearly four seconds, posting a blistering 00:41.579 that served notice of his championship defence.

Peter Morin backed up his consistent FP1 performance with second place (00:42.774), completing an impressive 27 laps as he fine-tuned his China CTIC Team entry. Sami Selio claimed third with 00:42.802, just 0.028 seconds behind the Frenchman.

Stark’s morning dominance faded as he slipped to sixth, while Wyatt improved to seventh but remained over two seconds off Andersson’s pace. Three drivers – Alec Weckstrom, Shaun Torrente, and Duarte Benavente – chose to sit out FP2 entirely.

Wyatt Responds In Final Practice

The championship leader bounced back in style during Free Practice 3, posting 00:42.736 to top the timesheet and reassert his credentials. Weckstrom and Torrente returned from their FP2 absence with strong performances, finishing second and third respectively.

Stark showed improvement with fourth place (00:43.973), while Selio maintained his consistency with fifth. British driver Ben Jelf impressed with sixth place after completing 29 laps – the highest count of the session.

Andersson, having dominated FP2, strategically opted to skip FP3 along with Morin and Damon Cohen, clearly satisfied with his data gathering from the earlier sessions.

Combined Practice Analysis

Examining the fastest times across all three sessions reveals Andersson’s dominance, with his FP2 time standing nearly a second clear of any rival’s best effort. Wyatt’s FP3 recovery moved him to second overall, while Morin’s consistency across FP1 and FP2 secured him third in the combined standings.

Combined Best Practice Times