Alec Weckström claimed his maiden sprint race victory after holding off a relentless late charge from Rusty Wyatt, the Victory Team driver withstanding intense pressure over the closing laps to win by just over two seconds.
The Finn controlled the race from pole position but came under sustained attack from Wyatt, who posted the fastest lap of the race at 46.576 seconds and closed to within half a second with three laps remaining.
Weckström praised his team after a difficult Friday: “The team sorted problems out for qualifying and this race, it was great to fight with these guys. My hope for the race is that Jonas sleeps a little bit at the start.”
Wyatt, who had been three to four miles per hour quicker on the straights, mounted his challenge with seven laps remaining as he consistently lapped faster than the leader. His 46.576-second best lap edged Weckström’s 46.703-second effort, but the Victory Team driver held his nerve to secure the win.
Morin Claims Podium on Home Waters
Peter Morin delighted the home crowd with third place for China CTIC Team, the Frenchman claiming his first podium finish of the weekend. Morin, who competed in F2 earlier this season and suffered heartbreak when a blown fuse cost him the world championship in the final race, delivered a composed drive to finish nearly five seconds behind Weckström.
Ferdinand Zandbergen produced an impressive performance from eighth on the grid, the Red Devil-SMC F1 driver making a storming start to climb into fourth by the opening lap and holding the position to the flag.
Stark Holds Off Cohen Challenge
Erik Stark claimed fifth for Team Abu Dhabi after resisting pressure from Damon Cohen, who attempted an audacious overtaking manoeuvre that ultimately failed to come off. The Australian completed the 18-lap race in sixth, finishing nearly 27 seconds behind the winner.
Alexandre Bourgeot, who required an engine change before the start, finished seventh one lap down ahead of Duarte Benavente. Stefan Arand and Bartek Marszalek both failed to start.
The Grand Prix of Zhengzhou takes place on Sunday morning at 10:05 local time (02:05 GMT), with rain forecast for the 39-lap race.
Sprint Race 2 Results
POS |
# |
DRIVER |
TEAM |
LAPS |
BEST LAP |
TIME/GAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
3 |
Alec Weckström |
Victory Team |
18 |
46.703 |
Race Time |
2 |
17 |
Rusty Wyatt |
Sharjah Team |
18 |
46.576 |
+2.430s |
3 |
7 |
Peter Morin |
China CTIC Team |
18 |
46.870 |
+4.695s |
4 |
12 |
Ferdinand Zandbergen |
Red Devil-SMC F1 |
18 |
47.119 |
+17.055s |
5 |
6 |
Erik Stark |
Team Abu Dhabi |
18 |
47.387 |
+26.017s |
6 |
98 |
Damon Cohen |
Comparato F1 |
18 |
48.957 |
+46.260s |
7 |
74 |
Alexandre Bourgeot |
Maverick Racing |
17 |
49.160 |
+1 Lap |
8 |
10 |
Duarte Benavente |
F1 Atlantic Team |
17 |
50.654 |
+1 Lap |
9 |
18 |
Stefan Arand |
Sharjah Team |
0 |
— |
DNS |
10 |
77 |
Bartek Marszalek |
Strømøy Racing |
0 |
— |
DNS |
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.
