The 2025 powerboat racing season delivered historic milestones across multiple disciplines, with Mathilda Wiberg becoming the first female UIM Formula 2 World Champion whilst Shaun Torrente secured his fourth F1H2O title in a championship battle that went down to the final race. The year also witnessed significant institutional changes as the International Hot Rod Association embarked on an ambitious expansion into powerboat racing.
Powerboat News launched in September 2025, marking this editor’s return to independent powerboat journalism four years after selling Powerboat Racing World. The new platform, backed by IT company Blowfish Technology and website partner Multispark Erosion, arrived in time to document the season’s dramatic conclusions across F1H2O, F2, and F4 championships. The launch followed repeated requests from racers and followers throughout the summer for a return to comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
Torrente’s Fourth Crown
Shaun Torrente claimed his fourth UIM F1H2O World Championship at Sharjah despite retiring with a broken engine after just 14 laps.
The American defeated defending champion Jonas Andersson by nine points. The championship mathematics worked in his favour, but the manner of the title victory demonstrated how the season-long points battle had shifted the pressure onto his rivals.
The result equalled the four titles achieved by Scott Gillman and Alex Carella, making Torrente the joint second-most successful driver in F1H2O history behind 10-time champion Guido Cappellini. Victory Team secured their first-ever Teams’ Championship.
The season featured five rounds across Indonesia, China and the Middle East. Alec Weckström claimed his maiden F1H2O victory at Zhengzhou after Andersson spun from pole position at the start and retired with technical issues.
Stefan Arand became the youngest-ever F1H2O pole-sitter at Shanghai aged 20, though engine trouble forced him to start the Grand Prix from 19th position. Grant Trask secured his first World Championship podium at Shanghai, finishing third on his debut for Team Sweden.
Arand delivered a stunning maiden victory at the Sharjah finale, winning by 12.594 seconds ahead of Trask.
Two-time world champion Sami Seliö posted what appears to be a retirement message on social media during the season, potentially bringing to a close a 27-year career at powerboat racing’s highest level. The Finnish driver’s farewell statement emphasised that his legacy would be measured “not just in medals, but in the lives touched and the sport elevated.”
The 2026 F1H2O calendar features nine rounds with only three venues confirmed: Shanghai, Jeddah and Sharjah. Six additional rounds remain to be announced, creating uncertainty about the championship structure for the upcoming season.
Wiberg Makes History in Dramatic Finale
Mathilda Wiberg became the first female driver to win the UIM Formula 2 World Championship at Vila Velha de Ródão, Portugal in December.
But the route to her historic title came with family complications. The 20-year-old Swedish driver finished 15 points clear of her younger brother Hilmer, who had led the championship by five points entering the finale before a technical retirement ended his title hopes.
The Wiberg siblings’ championship battle captivated the F2 paddock throughout the season. Their father Andreas managed both drivers whilst maintaining a strict no team orders policy that allowed the championship to be decided purely on track performance.
Mathilda took the victory needed to secure the title. Following the win, Smedjebacken municipality awarded her the prestationsmedalj achievement medal and she was voted 2025 UIM Driver of the Year.
Peter Morin’s championship hopes ended at the finale when a €1 blown fuse caused a DNF from pole position. The Canadian driver had demonstrated strong pace throughout the weekend but suffered the technical failure that cost him crucial points.
Edgaras Riabko set a record for most podiums at Vila Velha de Ródão with four consecutive top-three finishes at the Portuguese venue across multiple seasons.
Matt Palfreyman won the season opener at Brindisi, Italy, claiming his second UIM F2 World Championship race victory. Giacomo Sacchi dominated qualifying at Peso da Régua, taking consecutive pole positions to demonstrate the Italian driver’s speed on the technical Portuguese course.
Mette Bjerknæs delivered an impressive charge from 13th on the grid to seventh place at the finale, showcasing the competitive depth in the category.
Slakteris Claims F4 Title in Two-Point Thriller
Latvia’s Nils Slakteris claimed the UIM F4 World Championship by two points at Lake Viverone after recovering from seventh on the grid in the title-deciding race.
The championship went down to the final moto. France’s Jean Baptiste-Thomas pushed Slakteris to the end, finishing second overall with 63 points after winning Race 3 at Viverone.
Slakteris secured the title with 65 points for the RIGA Powerboat Racing Team, their first F4 world championship. Sweden’s Adam Wrenkler took third in the championship with 54 points.
Norway’s William Leithe-Martinsen finished fourth with 45 points despite winning races at Mons and Viverone. A DNF in Race 3 cost him the title when he had the pace to challenge for the championship.
The UIM Council adopted mandatory crash boxes, rear-mounted balloon airbags and a minimum weight increase to 370 kilograms for all F4 boats from January 2026.
Hydro GP Champions Crowned After Boretto Weather Disruption
The 2025 UIM Hydro GP World Championship ran just two rounds after cancellations at Boretto and Żnin forced organisers to reschedule. Bad Saarow in Germany hosted the opening round in September, followed by a return to Boretto in October where strong winds halted Sunday racing and left titles decided on partial results.
Estonia’s Joonas Lember secured his second F-125 World Championship, building on his 2023 triumph as the class’s youngest-ever winner. Italy’s Massimiliano Cremona claimed a fourth consecutive F-250 title, equalling the modern-era record, whilst Poland’s Marcin Zieliński defended his F-500 crown for a third straight year with dominant performances at both venues.
The championships continued European dominance of hydroplane racing, with podiums filled by drivers from Estonia, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Hungary. Eastern European nations demonstrated particular strength across all three categories throughout the truncated campaign.
Estonian Success in GT Championships
Estonia’s Kärol Soodla won the 2025 UIM GT30 World Championship at Lake Como with 1,250 points from two heat victories, finishing 125 points clear of Poland’s Marcin Kociucki. Britain’s Ashley Penfold recovered from a heat two DNF to win the final two heats and secure third place with 1,025 points.
The UIM GT30 European Championship at Viverone produced a tie on 1,400 points between Estonia’s Andres Virumann and Italy’s Mattia Andreani. Virumann claimed the title on countback after winning the final two heats, with Lithuania’s Mantas Kucinavicius third on 900 points following four consecutive third-place finishes.
Finland’s Toni Kade dominated the youth GT15 European Championship at Östhammar, securing three heat victories for 1,500 points to finish 200 points clear of Estonia’s Paul Richard Laur. The GT15 World Championship ran at Aizkraukle, Latvia in late May with 14 pilots aged 12 to 16 competing on the Daugava River. Laur’s performances throughout the season earned him nomination as 2025 UIM Junior Driver of the Year.
Victory Team Dominate XCAT Championship
Victory Team’s Salem Al Adidi and Eisa Al Ali claimed the 2025 XCAT World Championship with a dominant three-round campaign, winning all six races across Fujairah, Kuwait and Dubai to finish 68 points clear of their nearest rivals.
The Dubai-based crew clinched the title at the season finale on December 14-15 with victory in Race 1 at Sunset Beach, then completed a perfect weekend by winning Race 2 despite a dramatic first-turn collision that reshaped the championship standings. A multi-boat incident in the opening lap saw Energima Racing’s Marit Strømøy and Erik Sundblad Johansen roll over and suffer a second impact whilst inverted. Team GB’s Scott Williams and Martin Campbell also sustained damage and retired, dropping from second to third in the final standings.
The collision created a six-point swing. HPI Fujairah Racing Team’s Rosario and Giuseppe Schiano di Cola finished third in Race 2 to secure second overall on 132 points, six points ahead of Team GB on 126 points. The Italian brothers successfully defended their position as 2024 world champions.
Victory Team also claimed the Teams’ Championship and the Pole Position Championship, the latter decided by a single point over Sharjah Team. Sharjah Team won pole position at five of six qualifying sessions and claimed victory in Race 1 at Fujairah, but technical failures whilst leading both Kuwait races cost them championship contention. They finished fifth overall on 91 points.
The 2026 XCAT World Championship expands to six rounds, opening at Fujairah on April 3-5 before heading to Europe for two rounds in June and August. The championship returns to Kuwait’s Salmiya on October 29-31, with a fifth round in the Middle East in late November before the Dubai finale on December 11-13.
Double Trouble Dominates UKOPRA Season
Gary Aldington’s Double Trouble won the UKOPRA Class 1 championship with 1,100 points after victories at RTI, Poole and second place at Portsmouth, finishing 400 points clear of Good Boy Vodka. Black Ball Racing claimed Class 1L with 700 points from a Poole victory, whilst Oblivion swept Class 3E with maximum 1,200 points from three rounds.
The championship ran five rounds despite early-season cancellations at Lymington and Portland due to weather. UKOPRA continues to field the largest Class 1 fleets outside the United States, with the 2023 Round the Island race attracting nine entries, the biggest British championship field since the 1960s.
The 2026 calendar opens with the MDL Marinas Shamrock Round The Island race on May 15-17, followed by Poole Bay 100 on June 12-14 and MDL Marinas Ocean Village Cup on July 3-5. The Royal Southern Speed Trophy returns at Hamble on July 24-26, with the Lymington Challenge concluding the season on September 18-20.
Key West Draws Record 96-Boat Entry
Mike Falco and Billy Moore claimed the Pro Class 1 world championship aboard Team Defalco by two points after winning Sunday’s finale in 23min 37.1sec. Their 391-point total edged Monster Energy/M CON’s 389 points, with Myrick Coil and Tyler Miller finishing second on Sunday just 29.9 seconds behind.
His Excellency Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani and Steve Curtis completed a perfect score in the Extreme class aboard Spirit of Qatar 96, winning all three races for 403 points. Shaun Torrente and Matt Jamnickzy won the Super Stock title aboard Team Nautical Ventures after championship leaders Raymarine suffered mechanical failure on Sunday.
The November 5-9 championship at Truman Waterfront Park featured 96 boats across 14 classes competing for a $250,000 prize purse. IHRA’s investment formed part of the organisation’s $1.25 million commitment to offshore racing following acquisitions of Powerboat P1 USA/P1 Offshore and the American F1 tunnel boat series.
Team Brady Retain E1 Championship
Team Brady retained the UIM E1 World Championship title, with Sam Coleman and Emma Kimiläinen securing back-to-back championships for the all-electric racing series. The defending champions clinched the title at the Miami finale, the championship’s first United States race, defeating Team Rafa in the season-ending showdown.
The 2025 season featured races across multiple continents, bringing electric powerboat racing to new audiences and demonstrating the viability of zero-emission competition at the highest level. Team owners including Tom Brady, LeBron James, Rafael Nadal, Will Smith and Steve Aoki maintained their involvement in the championship, providing celebrity backing for the environmentally-focused series.
The 2026 E1 World Championship expands to eight rounds across four continents, opening in Jeddah on January 23-24 and concluding with the championship’s first Caribbean race in the Bahamas in November. The expanded calendar includes confirmed rounds at Lake Como, Dubrovnik, Monaco, Lagos and Miami, with broadcast coverage extending to over 140 territories worldwide.
Cappellini Shatters 20-Year Pavia-Venice Record
Ten-time F1H2O World Champion Guido Cappellini broke a 20-year-old record at the Raid Pavia-Venezia in June, completing the 414-kilometre course in one hour, 41 minutes and 54 seconds at an average speed of 207.26 km/h. Racing a DAC-Mercury powered by the new Mercury 360 APX four-stroke engine, Cappellini surpassed Dino Zantelli’s 2005 benchmark of 203.34 km/h.
The Abu Dhabi Team driver claimed the Coppa Montelera for the fastest time on the 55-kilometre Revere-Pontelagoscuro section and won the Paolo Masiero Trophy for overall victory. The race follows the Po River from Pavia in northern Italy to Venice, with competitors navigating strong currents, sharp bends and varying river conditions.
Diego Lacchini and Fabio Maccabruni finished second overall in the Diporto category with an average of 151.71 km/h, whilst Giovanni Micheli took third in the Touring Cup class.
Six Champions Crowned at Sardinia Finale
The Regione Sardegna Grand Prix of Italy at Olbia crowned six UIM-ABP Aquabike World Champions, with Mattias Siimann retaining his Runabout GP2 title after storming from sixth place to win the final moto. The October event featured 145 riders from 26 nations competing across multiple categories.
Qatar’s season finale determined four additional world champions: Estelle Poret, Oliver Koch Hansen, François Medori and Roberto Mariani. Medori achieved a perfect sweep at Torre Dell’Orso in the Class Pro Offshore category.
The 2026 UIM-ABP European Continental Aquabike Championship runs five rounds from June through September across Poland, Lithuania, Portugal, Hungary and France.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The F1H2O calendar has three confirmed venues (Shanghai, Jeddah and Sharjah) with six rounds still to be announced. F2 introduces long lap penalties and launches a European Championship alongside the World Championship, whilst F4 implements mandatory crash boxes, rear-mounted balloon airbags and increased minimum weights from January.
The E1 World Championship expands to eight rounds across four continents, making its Caribbean debut in the Bahamas. XCAT grows to six rounds with European expansion, whilst UKOPRA’s British offshore championship features the return of the Royal Southern Speed Trophy at Hamble.
IHRA’s $1.25 million investment targets unification of American offshore and tunnel boat competition under centralised governance. The 2025 Key West World Championship attracted a record 96 boats, with substantial prize funds and professional event management driving offshore racing growth.
The 2025 season produced Mathilda Wiberg’s historic F2 championship victory, Shaun Torrente’s fourth F1H2O title, and IHRA’s emergence as a major force in American powerboat racing.
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.
