Sharjah F1H2O preview: Torrente leads title race by 14 points

The clock is ticking to the final showdown to decide the outcome of this year’s UIM F1H2O World Championship. The Road to Sharjah–Grand Prix of Sharjah will bring the 2025 championship to a dramatic conclusion on Khaled Lagoon from December 19-21.

The title fight arrives in the UAE finely poised, with a three-way showdown between Victory Team drivers Shaun Torrente and Alec Weckström and Team Sweden’s Jonas Andersson, whilst the Sharjah Team’s Rusty Wyatt retains a slim mathematical chance of an extraordinary late-season upset.

Torrente holds commanding position

Torrente leads the standings with 89 points and arrives in the UAE’s third largest emirate with the clearest path to what would be his fourth world crown in eight years. The American rebuilt his campaign with characteristic consistency and underlined his title credentials with a commanding victory in Jeddah, where he dominated from pole to the chequered flag to build a 14-point advantage over defending champion Andersson.

Andersson arrives with 75 points after a turbulent but electrifying title defence marked by victory in Shanghai and a heroic recovery drive to second in Jeddah. His raw speed remains formidable and his six-point lead over Torrente in the F1H2O Pole Position Trophy reflects qualifying excellence that could prove crucial in Sharjah.

Mechanical issues in Indonesia, a disqualification in Zhengzhou and mid-race misfortune in Jeddah have left him in pursuit, but Andersson has repeatedly thrived under pressure and Sharjah’s demanding circuit could reward his aggressive pace. To overturn the deficit, he almost certainly needs a victory and for Torrente to hit trouble. Should Andersson win the Grand Prix, Torrente would secure the title by finishing at least fifth, assuming they amassed equal sprint race results.

Weckström remains a title outsider with 72 points but has shown exceptional form throughout the year, including a maiden win in Zhengzhou. His and Torrente’s combined performances have given the Dubai-based Victory Team a nearly unassailable 41-point lead over the Sharjah Team in the Teams’ Championship.

A difficult weekend in Jeddah increased the pressure on the Finn, yet his pace and consistency mean he could play a decisive role. For Weckström to claim the title, he needs a perfect 30-point weekend and significant misfortune for both Torrente and Andersson.

Sharjah Team duo could influence title fight

Wyatt and Stefan Arand could well shape the title outcome. Wyatt began the season with a stunning win in Indonesia and remains a podium contender whenever reliability holds, whilst racing at home adds extra motivation. Now trailing Torrente by 24 points, Wyatt needs a near-miracle to take the championship but is more than capable of influencing the fight at the front.

Arand has enjoyed an impressive season with standout drives including a charge from 19th to fourth in Shanghai, three fourth-place Grand Prix finishes and pole position on the Huangpu River in Shanghai.

Supporting cast ready to disrupt

Behind the title contenders, a competitive supporting cast has demonstrated enough speed to disrupt any championship scenario. Peter Morin, Bartek Marszalek, Erik Stark and Grant Trask have each delivered top-six finishes and could easily factor into the points order in Sharjah.

Morin sits sixth in the standings and has shown increasingly consistent pace with fifth places in Zhengzhou and Jeddah. Trask, after starting the year alongside Morin before moving to Team Sweden, has integrated strongly and claimed a podium in Shanghai.

Stark returned to Team Abu Dhabi seeking championship form and, despite setbacks, has historically excelled in Sharjah and aims to end his season on a high. Marszalek arrives in exceptional form after a superb performance in Jeddah, where he qualified fifth and finished third in both his sprint race and the Grand Prix.

Further down the order, youthful energy and veteran experience continue to shape the grid. Alberto Comparato has shown strong sprint race performances despite limited Grand Prix finishes, whilst rookie team-mate Damon Cohen has displayed promise with sprint race top-six results and consistent points in earlier rounds.

Ben Jelf began the year with podiums in Indonesia before reliability troubles struck, yet the Briton bounced back with seventh in Jeddah. His team-mate Duarte Benavente continues to deliver solid sprint race drives but seeks his first Grand Prix points of the season.

We had a solid result in Jeddah, finally adding points after dealing with trim issues and an engine failure in China. I had a good contest with Stark and Wyatt, so hopefully those troubles are behind us. We’re aiming for a strong finish in Sharjah to secure a place within the top ten. Sharjah holds a special place for me—it was where I competed in my first F1H2O World Championship race three years ago, and I enjoy racing on the course.

Marit Strømøy enters Sharjah level on points with Jelf after a season of mixed fortunes but growing pace with the four-stroke Apex V8 DAC.

Red Devil-SMC F1 Team drivers Ferdinand Zandbergen and Sami Seliö demonstrated outstanding qualifying speed in Jeddah, though both were denied points by race-day setbacks. Their fourth-place sprint results earlier in the season suggest they are on the brink of converting speed into results with the new Sharjah-designed hulls.

Team Abu Dhabi’s Mansoor Al-Mansoori continues to gain experience in his rookie season, scoring all his points through strong sprint performances. Maverick Racing’s Alexandre Bourgeot and Cédric Deguisne have endured misfortune but shown flashes of competitiveness, with Bourgeot adding a valuable Grand Prix point to his tally in Jeddah.

The second China CTIC seat has been shared by Grant Trask, Kyle Maskall and Stefan Hagin as Brent Dillard recovered from back surgery in the United States. Dillard now returns in Sharjah, ready to rejoin the championship after a 2024 campaign highlighted by three sprint race fifth places.

Race weekend schedule

Championship standings heading to Sharjah

Race officials for the weekend include UIM Sport Commissioner Ivan Mota, Race Director Marco Pietrini, and UIM Technical Commissioners Gil Manuel Pedroso and Rui Xavier. Medical support will be provided by Al Zahara Hospital on land with the Osprey Rescue Team handling water-based emergency response.

As the 2025 UIM F1H2O World Championship approaches its climax, Khaled Lagoon is set to welcome thousands of fans for a finale befitting one of the sport’s most iconic venues.

John Moore

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.